Veteran Baseball Author Jane leavy Proposes Fan-Focused Changes to Revitalize America’s Pastime
Anaheim, CA – Veteran baseball author Jane Leavy outlines a series of proposals to address declining fan engagement and concerns about the game’s direction in a recent interview with the Orange County Register. Leavy, discussing ideas from her upcoming book, centers her vision on affordability, accessibility, and restoring a connection between players and fans.
A key proposal involves free admission for all children under 10 accompanied by a sober adult. Leavy illustrates the potential financial impact, citing a hypothetical scenario where the 2023 Chicago Cubs woudl have absorbed a $4 million cost if implementing the policy, factoring in typical ballpark purchases like a small Coke, hot dog, cap, and cotton candy. This $4 million, she points out, is comparable to the $21 million the Cubs paid Jason Heyward to play for the Dodgers that same year.
Leavy also highlights the loss of opportunities for young fans to connect with players, noting that today’s practice schedules prevent children from watching batting practice – a tradition fondly remembered by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who recalled attending games early to observe Ozzie Smith’s pre-game routines, and by many who watched Mickey Mantle take batting practice at Yankee Stadium.
Beyond accessibility, Leavy criticizes the increasing prevalence of gambling sponsorships as “tone-deaf” and predicts further issues stemming from prop bet scandals, referencing the recent case involving Cleveland reliever Emanuel Clase as “inevitable” and “just the tip of the iceberg.”
She also advocates for a modification to the extra-innings rule, suggesting allowing teams to bat thru their entire lineup one additional time before implementing the current “ghost runner” rule, arguing the time saved by other recent rule changes allows for a more natural game conclusion, as demonstrated by the compelling 18-inning World Series Game 3 between the Dodgers and another team.
