Hey there, baseball fan. Have you ever found yourself wondering why some baseball games seem to drag on forever while others finish in under three hours? The length of a baseball game depends on many factors, some within the control of players and managers, and some not. As much as we all love relaxing on a summer day watching our favorite team, a game that pushes four hours can test even the most dedicated fan’s patience.
The good news is, if you understand what impacts how long a game lasts, you can make an educated guess as to whether you’ll have time for that doubleheader or should plan on a potential extra inning thriller disrupting your evening plans.
The Basics of Baseball Game Length
The basics of how long a baseball game lasts comes down to a few key factors.
Number of innings
A regulation baseball game consists of 9 innings – meaning each team has 9 opportunities at bat. Extra innings are added on if the score is tied after 9 innings. The average MLB game has around 9.5 innings, so most games do end in 9. But some can go on for what seems like forever! The longest game in MLB history went 25 innings.
Time between pitches
All the little breaks in action add up. The pitcher’s preparation and throw, the batter stepping out of the box, conferences at the mound, throwing over to bases, intentional walks – it all contributes to extra minutes. MLB has implemented pitch clocks to speed up the game, but there’s still downtime.
Commercial breaks
Television commercials are a big reason why games seem to drag on. In between innings, there are 2-3 minutes of ads which significantly increase the total broadcast time. At the ballpark, you don’t experience these ad breaks, so the pace seems quicker.
Offense and scoring
More offense and scoring equals a longer game. If there are lots of hits, walks, and runs scored, it extends the time. Pitching duels and defensive battles tend to be on the shorter side.
Reviews and challenges
The use of video review and challenges has made games longer. When there are close calls, the manager has an opportunity to challenge the ruling on the field. The umpires then review footage to determine if the call should stand or be overturned, which pauses the game for 2-5 minutes.
So the next time you’re wondering why baseball games are so long, remember it comes down to the innings, pace of play, commercials, offense, and replay reviews. All part of what makes baseball…baseball!
Factors That Extend Game Time
Baseball games are meant to be leisurely, social affairs, but sometimes they can really drag on. Several factors contribute to extending game times beyond what most fans would consider ideal.
Weather delays
Weather delays are unavoidable and often prolong games by 30 minutes to over an hour. Rain, lightning, snow, you name it – if the weather interferes, the umps call a timeout until conditions improve. During the delay, the anticipation builds as fans anxiously await the chance to cheer on their team again.
Pitching changes
When pitchers get tired or become ineffective, managers make a call to the bullpen. But the process of the new pitcher entering the game, warming up, and facing his first batter or two can take 10-15 minutes. The more pitching changes, the more downtime. Some critics argue that limiting teams to a certain number of mid-inning pitching changes could help speed up games.
Excessive pickoff throws
Pickoff throws to bases, while strategic, also contribute to longer games. When pitchers make several throws to first base in an inning to keep runners in check, it slows the pace and cuts into actual play time. Some propose putting a limit on the number of pickoff throws allowed per inning or batter to keep things moving.
More TV commercials
Commercial breaks are longer in nationally televised games, and there are more of them. While commercials are a necessary evil to generate revenue, the increased ad time results in a slower pace of play and longer gaps between innings. If you’re at the ballpark, grab a snack, use the restroom or just enjoy some people watching during the extended commercial breaks.
Baseball is meant to be enjoyed over peanuts and Cracker Jacks, not in a hurry. But for most fans, keeping games closer to 3 hours would be ideal. With some reasonable limits on delays and downtime, America’s pastime could return to a more fan-friendly pace.
Ways MLB Has Tried to Shorten Games
Major League Baseball has tried various ways to shorten the length of games in recent years. As games have grown longer, averaging over 3 hours, MLB worries that fans have less patience to sit through full 9-inning marathons.
Pitch clock
In 2015, MLB experimented with a pitch clock during spring training, requiring pitchers to throw the ball within 20 seconds of receiving it. The pitch clock aims to speed up the pace of play by limiting the time pitchers and batters can take between pitches. While it did shave a few minutes off game times, MLB has not yet implemented a pitch clock during regular season games.
Limited mound visits
In 2018, MLB instituted a rule limiting teams to 6 mound visits per 9 innings, not including pitching changes. Coaches and managers now have to be more judicious in how often they visit the mound to speak with pitchers, instead of making frequent trips to provide guidance or help pitchers regain composure. This rule change alone has shortened games by an average of 5 minutes.
Reduced commercial breaks
MLB has trimmed the length of commercial breaks between innings from 2 minutes and 25 seconds to 2 minutes. Over the course of a game, shaving 25 seconds from each break can reduce total time by 15-20 minutes. While seemingly minor, even modest reductions in downtime and stoppages can have a significant impact on pace of play.
Proposed changes
MLB continues to explore other options to improve pace of play, though some have been controversial. Proposals like starting extra innings with a runner on base, limiting defensive shifts, and robo-umps calling balls and strikes remain on the table. Balancing tradition with innovation, MLB aims to keep baseball engaging for 21st century fans increasingly accustomed to fast-paced entertainment.
The challenge lies in maintaining the essence of baseball while adapting to modern expectations. By implementing modest changes, MLB hopes to achieve the “sweet spot” – not too long, not too short, but just right.
Do Fans Want Shorter Baseball Games?
Baseball is America’s pastime, but some fans argue that games can feel like they drag on forever. The average MLB game now lasts over 3 hours, compared to around 2 and a half hours just a couple decades ago. While true fans of the game likely don’t mind longer games and even see it as getting their money’s worth, others wonder if there are ways to speed things up a bit without compromising the integrity of the game.
Do fans really want shorter games?
Surveys show a pretty even split on this issue. Some fans, especially younger ones and families with kids, would appreciate shorter games that they can enjoy without needing to block off their whole evening or stay up late on a school night. However, many diehard baseball fans argue that the unhurried pace and lack of clock are part of what they love about the game. For them, a brisk 2 and a half hour game just wouldn’t feel the same.
One compromise could be exploring ways to trim 15 or 20 minutes from games to make them more accessible and family-friendly while still preserving the essence of baseball. Things like reducing time between innings, limiting mound visits, and discouraging batters from stepping out of the box during an at-bat are small changes that could shave time without fundamentally changing how the game is played.
On the other hand, some argue that baseball’s slow, meandering pace is central to its charm and trying to speed it up risks losing that. There’s something to be said for having a few hours where you can just relax, chat with friends, and lazily enjoy a ballgame without constantly checking the clock. Maybe the length of baseball games isn’t really the problem, but rather learning to appreciate them for what they are: a respite from our fast-paced lives and a chance to immerse in a timeless American tradition.
What do you think? Are baseball games too long, or is their unhurried rhythm an integral part of their appeal? There are good arguments on both sides, so finding the right balance may come down to personal preference. But making small tweaks to modestly improve pace of play while maintaining the soul of the game could be a compromise that satisfies fans across the spectrum.
The Future of Baseball Game Length
Major League Baseball has made several recent rule changes aimed at speeding up the pace of play and reducing the average length of games. Will these changes have a significant impact? The jury is still out.
Pace of Play Penalties
In 2018, MLB instituted “pace of play” penalties, limiting mound visits and shortening between-inning breaks. The penalties led to a drop in average game time of just 3 minutes in 2018. More impactful was the introduction of a pitch clock in the minor leagues, decreasing average game time by a whopping 26 minutes. MLB may need to consider similar measures to achieve substantial time savings.
Limited Defensive Shifts
MLB is also experimenting with limiting defensive shifts, requiring two infielders on each side of second base. The goal is to increase offense, giving batters more hits and increasing action. However, defensive shifts don’t significantly impact game length on their own. Limiting shifts in the minor leagues only reduced average game times by about 2 minutes. MLB would need to pair limits on shifts with other changes to make a bigger dent.
Shorter Commercial Breaks
Reducing time between innings is one of the most direct ways to speed up the game. MLB’s current 2 minute, 5 second between-inning breaks are quite lengthy. Cutting each break by even 30 seconds could trim 15-20 minutes from an average game. Of course, this would mean less ad revenue for broadcasters. MLB would need to find the right balance of commercial time to satisfy all parties.
Baseball traditionalists argue against measures that radically change the game. However, modest changes that trim just 15-30 minutes from average game times could help attract new fans without alienating current ones. The future of MLB may depend on implementing the right combination of pace of play rules to keep games engaging but still leave time for that seventh inning stretch!
Conclusion
So now you know the key factors that determine how long a baseball game lasts. While some changes have been proposed to speed up the pace of play, baseball is meant to be enjoyed over several hours, giving fans a chance to soak in the atmosphere, enjoy a hot dog or two, and bond over the ups and downs. Baseball is a game best appreciated when you settle in, relax, and go with the flow.
