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BlackAthlete Sports Network-www.blackathlete.net BASN BLACKBOX
What provokes this unexpected Box SIMPLE statistics about the Success of Minor League Baseball However else you might distinguish the difference between Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball the most useful is how much more varied the Minor League product is.. While ALL Major League teams are the same except for their records you will find a bewildering range of teams, methods and styles among the hundreds of Minor League teams. And some flourish in the smallest towns in America While you can call both forms of Baseball the fact is Minor League Baseball prospers because it delivers a wide range of entertainment that goes way beyond the narrower confines of how the Majors define entertaining their fans. Likewise unlike Major League Baseball, Minor League teams can do well in the most unusual and so very often small markets. YES all this is leading up to our very compelling call it PROFOUND perspective here in the Box. OK we won't make you wait no foreplay today ! Minor League Baseball is ready made for, indeed has a glaring opening for the revival of The Negro League. YES let's even keep the antiquated terminology for good reason. The Negro Leagues were the height of Baseball when they defined Baseball for decades. They were also the ultimate moment in Sports for African Americans probably for all time. Certainly so far. Let's get right to the stats that make the case Compliments of Sports Illustrated. And thank you SI for saving us the work. Easier simply to give SI the credit it deserves. Better than having our own large thankless and God forbid unionized staff.. Look at this .... " Minor league baseball set an attendance record for an unprecedented fourth consecutive year, drawing 900,000 more fans than last season. As of Labor Day, the 175 minor league baseball clubs that charge admission attracted 42.6 million fans. The total will increase because the New York-Penn and Pioneer leagues wrap up their regular seasons Friday. ". That's 175 Professional Minor League teams doubt there is room for just 10 Negro League teams ! here's more from SI ..... " Ten of the 12* leagues that have ended their regular seasons enjoyed boosts at the gate from 2006. The Northwest and Pioneer leagues already have surpassed last season's totals, and the New York-Penn is on track to do so." * let's add ONE more League ! Almost ONE million more fans than last year's record pace Minor League Baseball is SIZZLING !! Read on ..... " Minor league baseball attendance figures are compiled from the International, Pacific Coast, Mexican, Eastern, Southern, Texas, California, Carolina, Florida State, Midwest, South Atlantic, New York-Penn, Northwest, Appalachian and Pioneer leagues." The record-breaking run began in 2004 when the minors drew 39.9 million fans, topping the mark that stood since 1949. In 2005, the total was 41.3 million and last year it was 41.7 million." Is it even necessary to say more .... The SECRET to re-invigorating African American Baseball is to RETURN to the Past ! THE FACT IS Harlem could, the Southside of Chicago could, Watts could, Newark could, Inner Philadelphia could. Black Washington could - a group of notable Inner Cities plus various southern states could each support and field a NEGRO League team. Teams of outstanding young African American athletes who are NOT going to the NBA or NFL who would rather play Baseball for $50,000 a year and a chance at GLORY than work for FedEx. These young Black athletes supplemented and ENHANCED with former African American Major Leaguers past their prime PLUS BIG NAME Black managers and coaches each traveling with their own "show." Notable African Americans who will NEVER be offered Major League managing jobs. ( until they prove themselves in the New Negro League ! ) .. .. other OUTSTANDING but undiscovered African American musical talent heck even fabulous Black Marching Bands able to strut their stuff beyond the football season WHY NOT .. IF YOU DON'T GET IT ...... Formulas just like this in concept if very different are at the heart of the extra-ordinary success of Minor League Baseball which to make another point is occurring with virtually NO television exposure or revenue unlike Major League Baseball that could not exist without TV revenues. Keep this in mind also very few African Americans attend Major League Baseball (or Minor League) so that Black Americans are today a largely untapped market for Baseball just waiting for a reason for Baseball to become a BLACK Family Sport as it is in the WHITE community across America. That is another point ... Also at the HEART of the success of Minor League Baseball is that it is an affordable and enjoyable outing for FAMILIES while virtually nothing else in American Sports is. You can actually take your family out to a night of Minor league Baseball plus lots of other entertainment thrown in for FREE to keep everyone happy for from $50 - $75 total. Where else ??? But let's put all that aside and get to the BEST point of all New Negro League teams whether playing each other or far more significantly playing teams all over Middle America would be HIGHLIGHT games in each community. It would be RACE turned to good effect ( even if a few incidents take place ) Both Blacks and Whites will come out to cheer "their" team on. The intensity of these games will be the HIGHEST. BUT MOST OF ALL Providing young African American boys and men a logical and decent paying reason to turn their talents to Baseball GUARANTEED will produce - just as the Original Negro Leagues did - a Wealth of Black Baseball talent that will once again POPULATE Major League Baseball. So why will it NEVER happen the fault does not lie in the Stars neither can White America be expected to take care of African Americans ( needless to say ) NO the fault lies in BLACK America a lack of will and VISION Too Bad
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