Seven Questions - Top Fan Answers
These questions were sent out to six Top Fans prior to the lock out being completed. Excellent answers to these questions.
About You
Briefly tell us who is your favorite team and why?
Sarah- New York Mets - my dad and grandpa raised me as a Mets fan!
Rob- I have been a Chicago Cubs fan since 1984. I was a 9 years old boy growing up in a small rural Idaho town. That summer my brothers and I watched what would become our beloved 1984 Chicago Cubs win our hearts and the hearts of the nation as they won the National League East but eventually lost to the Padres in the NLCS 3-2. But what happened that summer was something I will always be thankful for. We became lifelong Cubs fans. What a ride it has been.
Mike- Favorite team, Angels. Grew up a Dodger fan but when I could afford season tickets I stayed local. Always liked the Angels even in 1961 when they started. Favorite Angel for me growing up was Albie Pearson.
Jackson- My favorite team is the world champion Atlanta Braves. I've been a fan since birth basically with my dad being from Atlanta .
Chris- I vividly remember falling in love with baseball while watching the dynamic Dodgers outfield duo of Matt Kemp and Andre Either in the late 2000s and early 2010s. I was simply obsessed with the Dodgers as a kid; from Matt Kemp coming just-short of the 40-40 club, to Clayton Kershaw's rise as baseball's best ace, and everything in between. I was committed to the Boys in Blue.
Dale- My favorite team is the Baltimore Orioles. I became an Orioles fan at the age of 5. My grandmother came from California and was a huge Dodgers fan. I watched baseball with her while she was visiting us in the Maryland suburbs of Washington DC. As Washington didn't have a team, the closest team was the Orioles about an hour up the road. I fell in love with the game and the team and by the time I was in 1st grade, 75% of my wardrobe consisted of Orioles swag.
Ball Parks
From a fans point of view, What is your favorite ball park you’ve seen a game? It may not necessarily be your team's park.
Sarah- Gotta be Citi Field, it’s the best of Shea and Old Ebbets plus the modern world! Also has the best rated food in all of the baseball parks.
Rob- I have been to many Major League Baseball ballpark. But hands down the best environment is at Wrigley Field. I may be bias, but it's also true. Everything about Wrigley Field is what I love about baseball. The history, tradition, smells, neighborhood, sounds, etc. I think about all the greats that have played at Wrigley Field since 1914 and it's easy to see how any fan would love this ballpark. It feels like home to me every time I visit. There are two other parks I have visited that give (gave) me the same feeling... Old Yankee Stadium in the Bronx before it was torn down (still such a tragedy) and Fenway Park in Boston. The 3 stadiums were the cathedral of baseball. Now we are down to 2. I wish we had more of the old school stadiums around because it bridges generations upon generations together.
Mike- Favorite ballpark is tough. Have been to all but 5 of the current parks. I would rate Pittsburgh as one of the best. The setting and feel are incredible. St. Louis is pretty close.
Jackson- Petco Park in San Diego is the one that sticks out most in my head. From the old metal supply company building in left, to the panoramic views of downtown, the smell and feeling of the ocean breeze, it gives you the perfect backdrop for some summertime baseball.
Chris- I'm still inexperienced when it comes to baseball stadium adventures, but I think the best ballpark experience I've had was at Citi Field in Queens, home of the New York Mets. I made it out to a Yankees-Mets 4th of July weekend series, and all I can say is WOW. The stadium is beautiful, the acoustics are so unique, and the fans are among the most unhinged in the league!
Dale- I actually like my home ballpark the best for the fan experience. Camden Yards is a great ballpark. I have not been to Fenway or Wrigley yet, but the nostalgia of the old ballparks is also hard to beat.
About the Game
What do you find about the game that gets you to want to watch/attend?
Sarah- It’s family, it’s summer - baseball always has something exciting no matter what, and you wait to not miss it!
Rob- I love the history of the game. It is the richest history in all of American sports. To visit a ballpark to watch a ballgame is the epitome of what it means to be an American. You leave all your worries and cares at the gate and get to enjoy a bunch of men playing a kids sport. Throw a hot dog in one hand and a tall beverage in the other. It doesn't get any better than that. It is the history, the competition, the strategy, the smell of a brand new season, and especially the love that I have for the game that keeps me tuning in every year.
Mike- I grew up playing, watching, idolizing baseball and the players. Watched Mantle, Mays, Snider, Koufax, Pearson, Boog Powell. Baseball was the most special way to bond with my father, he coached me. I then founded Little League in Costa Mesa and was able to coach my kids and then one of my grandkids.
Jackson- The strategy and exciting buildup of the games. One moment can be pivotal and every pitch counts and that’s what makes baseball great.
Chris- As a former ballplayer myself, the elite competition is what draws me into Major League Baseball. The athletes are talented beyond belief, and to be able to see these raw displays of speed, accuracy and power on a daily basis is so special. The players' storylines are an aspect that really drive my intrigue as well.
Dale- I played a lot of baseball as a kid through college. There is something exciting about the buildup to each pitch, the crack of the bat and the instant reaction. At this time of the year, I often start dreaming about the smell of the grass in the outfield as springtime comes.
What drives you nuts about the game (things like rules changes, etc.)?
Sarah- The game is now all about home runs and outs, it’s so rare to see the bases loaded.
Rob- Honestly, the only thing that really drives me nuts is when "corporate" gets involved with baseball and changes traditions of the game. I get it that the game evolves over time and there are some things that are good. But to mess with home plate umpires or throw a runner on second base to start extra innings just to speed up the game compromises the integrity of baseball's origins.
Mike- Nothing really drives me nuts about the game except the cost. Used to be able to afford games.
Jackson- Universal DH. Hear me out, but the pitcher batting adds another layer to strategy and plus all professional players should be able to do the fundamentals of the game.
Chris- I believe that baseball is about one team outwitting another. Whether it is guessing a pitch sequence, playing in a shift, or even stealing signs (can't believe I have to specify — LEGALLY), the mental part of baseball is not something to be taken lightly. With that said, I hate when teams have a reliance on technology. We see too many iPads and wristbands on the playing field and in the dugout that don't belong. Make baseball a time for players to use their natural cunning to battle the opponent by any means necessary.
Dale- As I have gotten older, I sometimes feel that the games seem long. With a DVR, I can zip through the games without missing a pitch. I don't feel that way about a game in person, then I love the pace, and the fact that you can carry on a conversation during the game. I have never been a fan of homer happy baseball. I like when a homerun means something because there aren't 8 in a game. I am glad they are moving the left field fence back in Camden Yards to make it play bigger.
About the Lockout
Who do you feel it hurts the most?
Sarah- The staff of the parks and team and then the fans.
Rob- The fans. It will raise ticket prices, concessions, you name it. Not to mention we're not able to watch the game we love.
Mike- The lockout hurts the fans the most in my opinion. We pay for everything the two sides are arguing about.
Jackson- The fans, the owners and players will get their money eventually but the fans suffer through lack of baseball to enjoy.
Chris- This one is complicated, but the lockout hurts MLB administration the most. This is by design. The only reason negotiations are taking this long is because the players are holding out against the guys in suits. If the front offices of MLB could hold out forever, they would, but the point is that the players can leverage their status over the League to have their demands met. On a day-by-day scale, a franchise is going to be hurt much worse than a ballplayer as baseball dives deeper into the lockout. Because of this, either the new CBA will favor the MLBPA, or the League will go bankrupt — let's not think about the latter.
Dale- The little guys. The vendors, the local businesses, the support staff. It also hurts the players on either fringe; the young guys just getting started and the veterans who may not have much time left.
What do you think it does to the MLB brand?
Sarah- It’s makes it seem cheap and more of a business as opposed to a sport.
Rob- Anytime there is a lockout in any sport it will take a hit on the brand because there is a sense of greed associated with it. Depending on how long this goes, this lockout could have a significant impact on MLB for years to come.
Mike- The brand is tarnished, until the two sides work things about. One thing about baseball fans is that their memories fade when the game resumes.
Jackson- It alienates the fans because they have no say or control over the timeline of resolution and it sparks fears of 2020 where there was a short season.
Chris- This is an embarrassing time for all of baseball. MLB already has the toughest time of any American professional sport in advertising and marketing the game and players. By the League and MLBPA failing to come to terms over the last three months, baseball culture has already felt the effects. Players are speaking out against Rob Manfred and the League, while fans are pissed to the point of some even threatening to boycott. Baseball as a whole is not heading in a good direction, and I would go as far to say as things might start to get destructive.
Dale- I think their timing is usually poor. There are weightier issues in the world than what the owners and the union are fighting about. Especially after Covid, people will just move on, and they may not get a certain percentage of those people back. I already watched far less baseball last year than any other point of my life (The Orioles losing 100 games again certainly didn't help my enthusiasm either).
How frustrated are you by it?
Sarah- Frustrated is an understatement - they are so hung up on the smallest issues, get over it and let’s play some ball!
Rob- To be honest, I am frustrated by it in the sense that baseball is my outlet. I love turning to baseball because it allows me to escape the daily grind. Baseball is more than just a sport. It is a way that brings people together and unites us in a way that many things can't. So that is where my true frustration lies.
Mike- Normally I am in Arizona for Spring Training right now, so I am a bit frustrated that we will miss our annual trek.
Jackson- We knew this was coming and neither side has come to the table with bipartisan terms with both sides being far away. They sit there blaming the other when they could be able to sacrifice some wants (and maybe a few million dollars) to be able to play and achieve the goal of getting paid.
Chris- This issue with the CBA is out of my hands. Any loving baseball fan would end this with a snap of their figures if they could, but this issue is for the players to resolve. The League could offer up any compromise, but unless the MLBPA agrees, there will be no baseball. I understand what is at stake for future MLB players, and I am willing to wait as long as they are until the League budges to their demands.
Dale- The scary thing for me about this answer is that I feel like I was as big a baseball fan as anyone, but I am not that frustrated by it. I am indifferent and I will just move on to other things.
The Top Fan Rivalry Contributors to this article:
Sarah Holzberg- A Mets fan, who has been on a number of the podcasts. She’s also one of the owners of QuikFit, check them out @_quikfit on Instagram
Rob Peterson- A Cubs fan, who was one of the original people to contribute to Top Fan Rivalry.
Mike Scheafer- An Angels fan, he’s in the finance business and been involved with Top Fan Rivalry since 2020.
Jackson Westfall- A Braves fan, he is also the co-host the Decades Series podcast.
Chris Bibona- A Dodger fan, he is a Radio Host and Sports Editor in Orange County, CA.
Dale Kelly- A Orioles fan, he is a business owner of an Advertising Agency called Concept Marketing, check them out at conceptmrk.com