Are 7:10 Start Times Simply Too Late?

[rickh150]

We haven’t had many 7:10 home start times yet in 2022, but we will with summer just around the corner. For several years now, weeknight school nights (April, May, and Sept.) start at 6:40. That seems more reasonable. Most games are done before 10. 

I cannot see the sound reasoning any more of starting any game at 7:10… just seems so late given a number of factors:   games are lasting longer, healthwise one’s sleep is better earlier (circadian rhythm is best/lowest between 9 P.M and 5:00A.M.) general safety in more and more neighborhoods seems to get worse in the summer past 10/10:30, so many seem to leave around 9:30/9:45 anyways, restaurants are closing earlier and earlier it seems, and all the old reasons like kids bedtimes and being home earlier for those traveling long distances.

I would like to see all night games start at 6:20. I don’t think tailgating would be affected that much. Some would leave/get out of work earlier; others would choose to miss the first inning.  I’ve seen schools progressively start more and more events earlier in the evening and not have attendance numbers drop. Families seem to like the idea of getting home earlier more than the negative of arriving  to the event at an earlier time.

Interested in what others think, especially after Covid. Many travel habits and social interactions seem to have changed for many. Thanks.

[nate82]

Way to early.  When I lived in Milwaukee I wouldn't even be able to get to the game on time let alone go home and get changed after work and then get to the game.  Plus anyone from out of town wouldn't even be able to make it.  

If your goal is to reduce the amount of people in attendance this would be a good way to go about it.

[SomewhereInTime]

All home games should start at 9pm.

[brooks_quichenick]

I like the 6:40 starts for the slightly earlier end times, but also, a lot of the times I am rushed trying to get there after work and miss the start of the game, which I really don't enjoy.

[young guns]

I would like an earlier start time, for selfish reasons, so I know I've got a really good chance of finishing the game before I have to go to bed.  But it being too early for people is a concern as well.  If it's a one off, I'm sure most people knowing in advance that it's early would plan and take off early from work, but if you've got season tickets that wouldn't be very feasible.  So it is a tough situation for the Brewers to be in for sure.

[Brock Beauchamp]

As a father of two small children - and hooking them on baseball is key to the sport's continued existence - a 6:40 start time is vastly preferred.

But it doesn't have to be one or the other, split 6:40 and 7:10 start times. Maybe drop in some 6:10 start times, too.

Also, this problem is lessened by shortening game length. If an average game is 2:50, a 7:10 start isn't optimal for little kids but still somewhat manageable. If games creep toward 3;30, a 7:10 start time is completely unreasonable.

[Dragonbait]

As someone who gets up very early for work, I like the earlier start times.

[GAME05]

Game starts at 7:30 people tend to leave early so they can get to bed. Wouldn't it be better to have to arrive late and miss the first three innings than miss the last three? Though really it's an easy experiment to test if MA so wanted, just have a few earlier starts and see what the attendance is. Simple to figure out if the fans want it or not.

But as someone in the Eastern Time Zone, the games start way too late!

[patrickgpe]

I love the 640 starts in april and september, but that is as a TV viewer who has to get up and go to work the next morning. I think 7pm games are fine. Its not really the start time thats the issue, but the pace of play.  Fans that have a 8-5 shouldn't have to miss the first pitch because MLB games take forever. 

[patrickgpe]

4 hours ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

As a father of two small children - and hooking them on baseball is key to the sport's continued existence - a 6:40 start time is vastly preferred.

But it doesn't have to be one or the other, split 6:40 and 7:10 start times. Maybe drop in some 6:10 start times, too.

Also, this problem is lessened by shortening game length. If an average game is 2:50, a 7:10 start isn't optimal for little kids but still somewhat manageable. If games creep toward 3;30, a 7:10 start time is completely unreasonable.

i like the consistency of baseball. its pretty much guaranteed that Sunday games are 110, weekday games are 710, Saturday games are 610. National TV games are the only ones that might deviate. Football is always all over the map and its harder to plan your days around it.

[owbc]

It's way easier to hit a 6:40 now that I work from home. In fact, I would enjoy some 5:40 starts. 

It's pretty easy to see that 3/4 of the crowd is gone on weeknights if the game goes much past 10 PM. Even if it is a close game. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

3 minutes ago, patrickgpe said:

i like the consistency of baseball. its pretty much guaranteed that Sunday games are 110, weekday games are 710, Saturday games are 610. National TV games are the only ones that might deviate. Football is always all over the map and its harder to plan your days around it.

I get that but baseball also plays all around the country and about one-third of games played are outside your time zone and don't adhere to that schedule anyway.

[ReverendBrewmeister]

Out here in the AA Eastern League, we regularly see 6:05/6:30/6:45 starts for teams' night games all season long. That started a few years ago. (Though 7:00 starts for Friday/Saturday games or those with fireworks afterwards aren't uncommon.) Some AAA teams have also taken up that trend.

It's interesting that teams closer to big metro areas (e.g. Reading, Allentown, Hartford) have kept the 7:00/7:10 start times. Probably more affected by where their fans come from, traffic patterns, overall work schedules, etc.

Personally, I like it as a regular attendee of my local AA team.

[MoreTrife]

Keep the start times so people can stop home from work... implement the pitch clock to shorten the game times! A 930-945 finish much more palatable.

[magnoliacrew]

41 minutes ago, ReverendBrewmeister said:

Out here in the AA Eastern League, we regularly see 6:05/6:30/6:45 starts for teams' night games all season long. That started a few years ago. (Though 7:00 starts for Friday/Saturday games or those with fireworks afterwards aren't uncommon.) Some AAA teams have also taken up that trend.

It's interesting that teams closer to big metro areas (e.g. Reading, Allentown, Hartford) have kept the 7:00/7:10 start times. Probably more affected by where their fans come from, traffic patterns, overall work schedules, etc.

Personally, I like it as a regular attendee of my local AA team.

Yes, our AA South starts at 6:35 Tuesday through Saturday and 2:05 on Sunday. Games can be over by 9 to 9:30. With work and kids, this is almost ideal. I'd rather the games start closer to 6.

[HarryDoyle]

The games don't start too early. The game's just last too long.

[hawing]

We attend 30-40 games per year from Madison, and I have a day job, so game times and duration do matter to my household.  The 6:40 and 7:10 starts are both okay, and during most of the MLB season I have some leeway to come in late the next morning after weeknight games, in case of a long one.

More than anything else, I'd like a bit more consistency in start times.  Trying to keep track of which night games start when is a small hassle.  (For season seat holders, keeping track of the gate opening times on early entry days is also a first world challenge.)  I could live with 6:40 Monday-Thursday and 7:10 Friday, regardless of month.  Saturday will always be less predictable due to TV issues, and Sunday is consistent except for the very occasional ESPN broadcast.

Start times earlier than 6:40 wreak more havoc with my day job.  I get why the 4/14 game started at 4:14, and I understand the weirdness of the 5:10 start vs SF last month due to rescheduling, but I'm glad those are rare exceptions.

We almost never go to weekday games anymore because it takes up a whole day of leave for me.

[folly412]

For east coast TV viewers like me, 6:40 is 7:40, which is about perfect.  7:10 is 8:10, which gets a little late given length of games.

[Jimbo]

Although not like what it used to be, Milwaukee is a factory town.  The earlier start times benefit those who do shift work.  Not anymore, but I had jobs in the past where I started work at 06:30 or 06:00.