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Bob Klapisch, in Northjersey.com, has a story about how Scott Boras has suggested to Commissioner Bud Selig that one way to increase the ratings for the World Series would be to change it to a best of nine format and have the first two games played at a neutral warm-weather site.
Under Boras' revamping – explained in a letter sent to MLB's headquarters – Game 1 would be played on a Saturday in a warm-weather city, where there's a low probability of rain or even snow. The night before, he said, would be like "the Oscars" where players from both teams would be introduced and feted before a national TV audience. But the event wouldn't be just for pennant winners; everyone would be there, including the game's biggest stars, along with the networks and the advertisers.
"There'd be interaction between players and management, the interaction between players and corporations would increase, the boundaries would be removed," Boras said. "The Super Bowl does that, although it's a terrible event."
The World Series was in a best of nine format in 1903, 1919, 1920, and 1921.
I suppose that if the World Series matched say, for example, the Padres and Angels (not all that far-fetched if you look at the standings), would the first two games be played in Cleveland then?
Does the World Series need to be like the Super Bowl? Does anything need to be like the Super Bowl?
Can you picture last year's World Series having a pre-Series introduction of the stars?
"Ladies and gentlemen, Neifi Perez!"
"Now introducing, Brad Thompson!"
Link via BTF.
But not "Oscar" style!
There's no red carpet. No Joan Rivers. No Jim Nantz!
I can picture Grampa Simpson watching the 1975 World Series, "Quiet, I need to support this thing or it won't catch on!"
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