Merged Video Game/Baseball Game: Cancelled By The Powers That Be
from the no-fun-at-all dept
Last week, we brought up the name Bill Veeck, the great baseball owner/promoter, in discussing a plan by an independent minor league team to merge a video game and a real-live baseball game by having the first two innings be played on an Xbox (broadcast on the big stadium screen) and the rest of the game handled by the players, who will pick up the game at whatever point the video gamers leave it. Well, just like Veeck's promotions, it appears that this rubbed "the league" the wrong way, and Clive Thompson notes they've forced the teams to get rid of the promotion. Once again, it's a situation where the league is taking the "integrity of the game" more seriously than the entertainment value -- and forgetting that they're their to provide entertainment. The teams are still trying to do something, and will replay the 9th inning on the Xbox, after the team has finished the real game -- which pretty much defeats the point of the entire promotion. Meanwhile, we're still waiting for the entrepreneurial entertainer who sees an opportunity here and creates a mixed video/baseball league -- where the players need to play themselves in the video game and on the field. I'm all for keeping the game at its traditional roots when it makes sense, but having a bit of fun (especially in an independent minor league) could add a bit more life to the game. Besides, if it's so important to keep the game true to its roots, then the game we see today would be quite different than it is. Seven balls to make a walk? Batter gets to pick a strike zone? Change can be good.
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Some things should never have changed....
The umpire may smoke a cigar if he chooses.
lol - nice one.
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Come on, you can't be serious
Why not let the game determine everything and just have the players act it out?
Stupid, stupid, stupid
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Fantasy Baseball
Perhaps it could somehow be combined with fantasy baseball. Those who are leading the league in a fantasy baseball league of high stakes later will realize their fantasies, and their teams will form in the fleshi in the second half (or last quarter) of the season, to play the remainder. They are then placed on the field as managers. This would be made into a reality TV show. Fantasy baseball participants suddenly take the spotlight. The fan finally gets to run the game.
The usual still goes on in minor league baseball -- fireworks after the show, dynamite lady who gets blown from a box full of dynamite, spinning bat races, dress in drag nights, etc.
Multiple revenue streams.
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