How are baseball start times determined?

Each TV network negotiates a start time with the team as part of their contract. The more minutes they get, the more commercials they can sneak in between the top of the hour and the beginning of the game. The Tigers started night games at 7:05 until this season, when they worked a new deal to start them at 7:08.

Why do baseball games start at 7 07?

Baseball games start at odd times due to pregame festivities and television contracts. Baseball stadiums will usually start pregame festivities at the top of the hour. This also provides television broadcasts 5-10 minutes to do a game introduction and get in a commercial break before first pitch.

Why do all baseball games start at the same time?

MLB hopes to add excitement on season’s final day with simultaneous starts. “If a game impacts another game, they’re all occurring at the same time, so no team would be put into a lame-duck situation because their fate already had been decided by an earlier result,” said Tony Petitti, MLB chief operating officer.

How is MLB schedule determined?

Teams play one mid-week series and one weekend series per week. Depending on the length of the series, mid-week series games are usually scheduled between Monday and Thursday, while weekend games are scheduled between Thursday and Monday. Beginning in 2018, teams start and end their season on a weekend for 26½ weeks.

Why do baseball games start at 8 minutes after the hour?

Once again, Sports Fan Focus seems to think it does. This time, the publication states, “Another reason baseball games may start at weird times like 7:05 or 7:08 is to help accommodate the after-work crowd that is trying to get to the stadium.”

How is the MLB schedule decided?

The regular season is constructed from series. Teams play one mid-week series and one weekend series per week. Depending on the length of the series, mid-week series games are usually scheduled between Monday and Thursday, while weekend games are scheduled between Thursday and Monday.