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Home-Field Advantage in the MLB All-Star Game: Fan Impact

Home-Field Advantage in the MLB All-Star Game: Fan Impact

Jul 12, 2013

If a baseball fan goes out to the ballpark to catch a game, along with being pressured to buy a hot dog, peanuts or Cracker Jacks, he will be given an All-Star ballot. If he feels his vote should count more than once, he can logon to MLB’s website and fill out another ballot, and another, and another until he’s satisfied. In most American sports this would have no impact on the outcome of the season, as their All-Star Game is just a fun event; however, in baseball the All-Star Game decides which team (AL or NL) receives home-field advantage for the World Series.

When the selected players from both the National and American League take the field for the 84th MLB All-Star Game Tuesday, they’ll be playing more than just a friendly, meaningless game. This extra day of work they “earned” by being voted in by fans will help decide the future fate of top MLB teams.

In other major American sports, the home advantage in the championship is generally determined by team record. The concept is simple: the best team gets rewarded. The reason home-field is a benefit is because statistically teams with home-field win at a higher rate. Not surprisingly, the most recent NBA and NHL championships were won by the home team (Miami Heat and Chicago Blackhawks), and the most recent MLB champion was a home team as well (San Francisco Giants).

If the fans and media believe home-field advantage is a true edge, and statistics back it up historically, why is Major League Baseball tainting their product each year by letting fans impact who gets home-field? Their stance has been that it forces the players to play harder, and it makes the All-Star Game more watchable for fans. This idea, however, isn’t proving to be accurate, as the 2012 MLB All-Star Game recorded a record-low TV rating.

With the fans not caring about the All-Star Game as much as the MLB believes, it’s time to let the teams decide, rather than the fans. Fans care more about the sanctity of baseball than they do the entertainment of an All-Star Game. Hopefully, for everyone’s sake, the MLB recognizes it. Until then, vote away.

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