

Ah, but the illusion in football is that there is always lots of action and
a sense of urgency because of the game clock (not all the time, but it happens
when there's less than 5 minutes to go quite often).  This sense creates
drama, even when there may not necessarily be any and that holds a viewer's
attention.  In baseball, only 3 players are involved in the action for about
(here comes a wild guess) 70% of the time?  And they're just playing a
sophisticated game of catch/hold-the-ball/step-out-of-the-box/adjust-chains/
touch-self-in-interesting-locations.  There's a lot of "dead time" with the
players warming up between innings or the manager visiting the pitcher at the
mound or the manager removing the pitcher and bringing in a relief pitcher
who then takes (8? 10?) pitches or Helen Dell playing the organ (Dodger fans
will appreciate that one).  To the non baseball junkie this is boring.
At any rate, I'm not putting baseball down for this - I've been an avid
fan since I can remember - it's just that watching a baseball game on
T.V. at home can be tedious for the non baseball junkie.  That's what Major
League Baseball and the networks are trying to address when they talk of
shortening the game.  It's because of T.V. not because "football has more
action than baseball".
