Help! Wild Card

[Ryan]

Hey everyone,

I need to give a six minute persuasive speech on Friday on a topic of my choice, so I've chosen the baseball wild card, and how I think it's bad for the game. I want to focus on the on-the-field/competitive aspect (I think it devalues the regular season and kills pennant races - the lifebloods of the game) as well as a business/economic perspective, if it exsts.

I'm wondering if anyone can point me to any good sources or articles on the topic. Who's a big name that doesn't like the wild card, whom i could site as an expert? There was also a great thread going on the topic here last year, but searching through the archives has been tough.

Anyway, any thoughts are appreicated. Thanks!

Ryan

[Wolf Hopper]

There was also a great thread going on the topic here last year, but searching through the archives has been tough.
Here is the most recent one:
http://www.netshrine.com/vbulletin2/showthread.php?p=151061

[Wolf Hopper]

Here's a thread from 2001: http://www.netshrine.com/vbulletin2/showthread.php?t=674

[KCBOOMER]

Ryan, some advice I will give you is that it is not enough to tell your audience why you dislike the wild card. You have to give them a fiscally viable alternative to it. And remember anything that you come up with that effects revenues negatively will be viewed with great disdain by the Players Union particularly if they believe there will be a corresponding lowering of salaries.

[Ryan]

And remember anything that you come up with that effects revenues negatively will be viewed with great disdain by the Players Union particularly if they believe there will be a corresponding lowering of salaries.

Thanks Boomer - this is great advice. Do you happen to know where I can get revenue numbers for baseball? I know they are closely held, but has mlb ever released even their phony numbers?