What Time Do Baseball Games Start?

It’s a common question with a simple answer:first pitch is at 7:05 p.m. local time for all 30 Major League Baseball teams.

Introduction

Baseball games typically start at either 1:05 p.m. or 7:05 p.m., but there are occasionally games that start at other times, such as 4:05 p.m. or 10:05 p.m. That said, the majority of baseball games start at either 1:05 p.m. or 7:05 p.m.

Why the start times of baseball games matter

The start time of a baseball game can have a big impact on attendance, especially for families with young children. Weekday games usually start at 7:05 p.m. local time, while Saturday games typically start at 1:05 p.m. Starting times for Sunday games depend on the teams involved and whether the game is being televised nationally.

The reason for this is that most people work during weekday daytime hours, making it difficult for them to attend a game that starts at 7:05 p.m. On the weekends, people are more likely to have free time during the daytime, making it a better time to attend a game. Sunday start times also vary depending on whether the game is being televised nationally, as that would give more people across the country the opportunity to watch the game.

How the start times of baseball games are determined

How the start times of baseball games are determined is based on a variety of factors. The first thing that is considered is the location of the game. If the game is taking place in the eastern time zone, then it will start earlier than if it were taking place in the central time zone. The second thing that is considered is whether or not the game is being televised. If the game is being televised, then it will start later in order to accommodate for people who want to watch it on TV. Finally, the day of the week also affects what time baseball games start. Games that are played on weekdays will start earlier than those played on weekends.

The benefits of starting baseball games at different times

Different times for baseball games can have different benefits. Starting earlier in the day may mean that the game is cooler, and players may perform better. Starting later in the day may mean that more people can come to the game since they don’t have work or school. Ultimately, it depends on what the team and the league want to prioritize.

The drawbacks of starting baseball games at different times

One drawback to starting baseball games at different times is that it can be difficult for fans to know when their team is playing. For example, if the Yankees are playing at 1pm ET and the Red Sox are playing at 7pm ET, it can be hard for fans of both teams to keep track of when each game is taking place. Another drawback is that starting games at different times can make it difficult for people to watch multiple games at once. For example, if someone is trying to watch both the Yankees and Red Sox game, they may have to miss part of one game in order to catch the beginning of the other game.

The impact of television on the start times of baseball games

Since the 1950s, television has had a major impact on the start times of baseball games. In order to accommodate the television schedules, games were moved to later in the day, often starting in the afternoon or evening. This had a number of impacts on the game itself, as well as on the fans who wanted to attend the games.

One impact of later start times was that games often went into extra innings, which could sometimes last for several hours. This made it difficult for fans to get home from the game in a timely manner, especially if they lived in a different city than the one where the game was being played. In addition, later start times meant that some fans were not able to attend the game at all because they had other commitments such as work or school.

The MLB commissioner at the time, Bowie Kuhn, was opposed to start times that accommodated television schedules and wanted baseball to return to its roots by having games start earlier in the day. However, this was not possible with the rise of television and its impact on baseball.

The future of the start times of baseball games

It is no secret that baseball games have been getting longer. The average game time in 2018 was 3 hours and 5 minutes, up from 2 hours and 33 minutes in 1988, according to Major League Baseball. In the meantime, the average attention span of Americans has shrunk. According to a 2015 study by Microsoft, it is now just 8 seconds, down from 12 seconds in 2000.

With the average game time continuing to rise and the average attention span shrinking, it is only a matter of time before something has to give. The question is: what will that be?

One possibility is that the start times of baseball games will have to be adjusted to accommodate the shorter attention spans of fans. This could mean earlier start times for weekday games and later start times for weekend games.

Another possibility is that teams will start playing more day games than night games. This would make sense from a business standpoint, as more people are available to attend daytime games than nighttime games. It would also be more accommodating for families with young children who can’t stay up late enough to attend a nighttime game.

A third possibility is that teams will start playing more doubleheaders. This would allow fans to see two games in one day instead of just one. It would also help shorten the overall length of the season, which some fans believe is too long.

Whatever the future holds for the start times of baseball games, one thing is for sure: they will continue to evolve as our culture does.