tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399581770768992485.post6425392113999989321..comments2023-08-03T04:17:00.060-04:00Comments on Little League Insider: Jackie Robinson West (Chicago) stripped on U.S. Little League World Series TitleSection1Guyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13451765211730086805noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1399581770768992485.post-76230878946974939632015-05-27T12:39:13.454-04:002015-05-27T12:39:13.454-04:00Only time will tell, but I don't think Little ...Only time will tell, but I don't think Little League has too much to worry about in regard to the popularity of its World Series. Even if the quality of play suffers due to the age reclassification, the LLWS has one thing going for it that its competitors will never be able to overcome.<br /><br />Tradition.<br /><br />Despite all the various other tournaments, leagues and associations competing for ball players' and spectators' attention, we are increasingly an event-based society. And the LLWS remains THE youth baseball event in our national consciousness. Going back to its explosion in popularity in the 40's and 50's, its emergence on Wide World of Sports, the storyline of Taiwan's dominance, Cody Webster's heroics, to now being annually omnipresent on ESPN/ABC...the LLWS is the perfect attraction for the casual sports fan. And that's what TV networks covet -- the casual fan. Millions of LLWS viewers don't know or care about the differences between Ripken and the various travel associations and Little League. They know the name "Little League" and they know the beautiful images of Lamade Stadium, and they are eager to embrace whatever storylines develop each year. ESPN/ABC is not going to forsake that for Ripken or any other youth baseball organization when they have spent the last 30+ years telling the public that the LLWS is the most prestigious, compelling youth sports tournament in the entire world. There are certain things in this world that once you are entrenched in the public's consciousness, you have to screw up to an unbelievably catastrophic level to blow it. The Little League World Series is in that enviable position, and the Chicago scandal, or putting younger, less powerful players on the field and screen, is not going to be enough to remove them from it. <br /><br />And as one of those casual fans looking for an enjoyable week and a half diversion every August, I am glad that's the case.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13667818146439533041noreply@blogger.com