Why Do Baseball Games Start 7 Minutes After The Hour?

A lot of people have wondered why baseball games start 7 minutes after the hour. The answer is actually pretty simple. In baseball, each half-inning starts with the bases empty. So, if a game were to start at, say, 1:05 PM, the first half-inning would start at 1:05 PM, and the second half-inning would start at 1:15 PM. By starting the game 7 minutes after the hour, it ensures that each half-inning starts

The Origins of the 7-Minute Delay

The origins of the 7-minute delay are a bit murky, but the most likely explanation is that it dates back to the early days of baseball, when games were often played in the afternoon. At that time, it was common for people to take a break from work in the middle of the day to watch a game. To accommodate these fans, teams would start games 7 minutes after the hour so that people could get to the ballpark on time.

Today, there is no need to start games at such an precise time, but the tradition has continued out of sheer habit. In fact, many fans like the 7-minute delay because it gives them a chance to settle into their seats and grab a snack before the action starts.

Why the Delay is Important

The theory is that, by making people wait 7 minutes after the hour to start the game, more people will tune in. The problem is that people’s work and school schedules vary, so there’s no guarantee that more people will be available to watch at that time. In fact, some people might miss the beginning of the game if it starts 7 minutes after the hour.

The Delay Gives Fans Time to Arrive

The game’s start is often referred to as the “first pitch,” but in reality, there are usually several pitches thrown before the game officially starts. These pitches, known as “warm-up pitches,” give the pitchers time to loosen up their arm and get into a groove.

If you’ve ever been to a baseball game, you know that there are often a lot of people who arrive after the first pitch. The delay allows these fans time to get to their seats so they don’t miss any of the action.

The Delay Reduces Congestion

The seven-minute delay between the top and bottom halves of the inning is meant to reduce congestion and allow fans time to move around the stadium. It also allows teams to change pitchers and defensive players without haste. This break also allows fans to use the restroom or grab a snack without missing any action.

How the Delay is Enforced

In order to ensure that baseball games finish close to the top of the hour so that people can watch the news that comes on at the top of the hour, a rule was put in place stating that baseball games must start 7 minutes after the hour. This gives the game a 2 hour and 53 minute runtime, which is the average for a baseball game.

The Delay is Not a Rule

The supposed rule is a myth. There is no rule that games must start 7 minutes after the hour. The supposed rule is a myth. There is no rule that games must start 7 minutes after the hour. The supposed rule is a myth. There is no rule that games must start 7 minutes after the hour.

The real reason for the delay has more to do with advertising than anything else. In 1963, Major League Baseball allowed teams to begin showing commercials on television between innings. Previously, there had been a strict limit of two minutes between innings. Now, teams were allowed to show as many commercials as they wanted, as long as they waited until the start of the next half-inning to do so.

Television contracts stipulated that games could not start until 8:00 pm local time (7:00 pm Central Time), in order to ensure that as many people as possible would be able to watch them. So, if a game was scheduled to start at 7:05 pm, it would actually start at 7:08 pm, after the commercial break was over.

In order to make sure that games started on time (and thus prevent people from changing the channel during commercial breaks), baseball instituted a policy of starting games 7 minutes after the hour whenever possible. This way, even if there were delays due to commercials, the game would still technically start on time.

Of course, this policy was only possible when games were scheduled to start at or near the top of the hour — if a game was scheduled to start at 7:35 pm, for example, it could not be delayed until 7:42 pm without disrupting other programming on television station

The Delay is a Tradition

It dates back to the early days of baseball when games were started on the hour. But, as anyone who’s ever been to a game knows, it now takes more than seven minutes to play nine innings. It’s not just that the game has gotten slower, either. There are more commercials and more breaks in the action than there used to be. So why does the game still start seven minutes after the hour?

The answer is simple: tradition. It’s a holdover from a time when baseball was a simpler game played at a slower pace. And while some fans might complain about the delays, it’s one of the things that makes baseball unique.

The Consequences of Not Starting on Time

Starting baseball games 7 minutes after the hour may not seem like a big deal, but it can actually have a significant impact on the game. This is because teams rely on a set schedule in order to properly warm up and prepare for the game. If the game were to start on time, players would have less time to prepare and they would be more likely to make mistakes.

Fans Will Miss the Start of the Game

Many fans will miss the start of the game if it starts 7 minutes after the hour. They may have to work late or have other commitments that prevent them from getting to the stadium on time. By starting the game on time, fans can fully enjoy the game without worrying about missing any of the action.

The Game Will be Shortened

Even if both teams are trying their hardest to play as quickly as possible, the game will still be shortened because of the time limit. This is bad for both teams, as it means that they will have less time to score runs and get hits. It is also bad for the fans, who will not be able to see a full game. In addition, it is unfair to the players, who have worked hard to get to where they are and deserve to play a full game.