The National Baseball Hall of Fame’s plan to
replace the Hall of Fame Game is a good step in
the right direction, but officials should be
careful the new format does not grow stale in a
couple of years.
Hall officials announced Monday that a Hall
of Fame Classic Weekend during Father’s Day
weekend this June would replace the Fame
Game, a Cooperstown tradition for nearly 70
years.
In addition to a variety of events on Friday
and Saturday, the plan is to play a seven inning
game on Sunday, June 21, which would feature
at least four Hall of Famers and 20 other retired
major leaguers.
We’re sure that this format will intrigue
baseball fans enough for them to make the trek
to Cooperstown to see the former players in
action. Although all the details haven’t been
released, it seems for the players involved the
game will be more about fun and interacting
with fans than winning or losing.
But would fans want to see that format more
than once? It will be important to showcase
different players every year, and we think the
outcome of the game should mean something to
both the participants and fans.
Maybe invite ex-Yankees and Red Sox
players to play an exhibition, that’s a game
neither side would want to lose. Or maybe give
away free tickets to the Hall of Fame or a major
league game to the fans based on the outcome.
Despite the protestations of those who valued
the game, like savethefamegame.com founder
Kristian Connolly, we think the time is right
for a change in the format of the Cooperstown
tradition.
The Hall of Fame Game itself had grown
stale in recent years, with players not wanting
to make the trip to Cooperstown and not
participating in the game very much at all.
To have players who want to be here, and
want to put on a great show, will already be a
big improvement.
It will be the Hall of Fame’s job to make that
appealing to fans for the long run.
