※Translated with Notion AI. (Plus version)
Baseball was once Japan’s national sport, captivating many people with its charm.
However, we now face a serious problem: the decline in baseball’s popularity.
Many fear that Japanese baseball might degrade into a minor sport at this rate.
As someone with experience in both MLB and NPB and as an avid baseball fan,
I am deeply concerned about this situation. I want to explore the true reasons why we’ve come to this state.
The media, being considerate of teams and players’ associations, doesn’t touch on the core of the problem.
However, if I may say so, part of the problem lies with the fans themselves.
It’s wrong to think that only players and teams should be held responsible.
In reality, baseball fans are unconsciously making professional baseball less interesting.
I want you to know this fact and hope that you, as baseball-loving fans, will join me in thinking about a better future.
Certainly, such statements might negatively affect my own position.
However, as someone who truly loves baseball, I feel a responsibility to speak the truth.
In my opinion, there are two major factors contributing to the decline in baseball’s popularity.
One is the behavior of fans, and the other is issues with the management of baseball organizations (both professional and amateur).
First, let’s look at how fans are making baseball less interesting, and examine their offenses together.
