Make Baseball Great Again, revised
Why the Game Still Matters—and How to Save It
audio clips
My thoughts on the dismal state of Baseball and what can be done to bring it back
https://worldaccordingtocosmos.com
Make Baseball Great Again, revised
Make Baseball Great Again, revised
Why the Game Still Matters—and How to Save It
audio clips
My thoughts on the dismal state of Baseball and what can be done to bring it back
https://worldaccordingtocosmos.com
Baseball is quietly losing its place in American life—not because the game is broken, but because it has become unaffordable, inaccessible, and disconnected from the communities that once sustained it. Meanwhile, the sport is thriving globally. If baseball is going to survive as more than a niche pastime in its homeland, Major League Baseball must act boldly—and now.
Baseball is at a crossroads.
In the United States, it has quietly slipped from “America’s pastime” to fifth place behind football, basketball, hockey, and soccer. Among younger fans, the decline is even steeper. Tickets are too expensive. Games feel disconnected from local communities. Fewer kids grow up playing the sport.
And yet—here’s the paradox—baseball is thriving globally.
The World Baseball Classic, international leagues, and rising talent from Japan, Korea, Latin America, and Europe prove the game itself is not broken. What’s broken is how Major League Baseball relates to fans, families, and communities at home.
This is not a call for nostalgia. It’s a call for leadership.
As Vin Scully once said, “Baseball is a game of the soul.” That soul is still there. It just needs oxygen.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Attending a professional baseball game has become unaffordable for the average person. A family outing can cost hundreds of dollars before the first pitch. That alone explains why stadiums struggle to fill seats on weeknights.
At the same time, schools are cutting sports programs due to costs and liability concerns. Fewer kids learn the game. Fewer fans are born.
When I was young, American sports meant football, basketball, and baseball. Everything else was secondary. Today, baseball risks becoming a niche sport in its own homeland—while cricket grows faster in the U.S. than MLB.
That should alarm everyone who cares about the game.
THE CORE IDEA: BASEBALL NEEDS BOLD REFORM
Baseball doesn’t need better marketing. It needs structural change.
Here’s what making baseball great again actually looks like.
-
MAKE THE GAME AFFORDABLE
This is non-negotiable.
Most tickets should be capped at 50 dollars, with an average closer to 25. On game day, remaining tickets should sell for five dollars, with free tickets released just before first pitch.
Full stadiums create energy, loyalty, and long-term revenue. Soccer figured this out. Baseball can too.
-
EXPAND—DRAMATICALLY
There are too few professional teams.
Baseball should expand to every U.S. state, every Canadian province, Mexico, the Caribbean, and beyond—by converting minor league teams into top-tier clubs.
Regional leagues would reduce travel costs and create fierce local rivalries: San Francisco vs. Oakland vs. San Jose. Portland vs. Seattle. Sacramento vs. the Bay Area.
Baseball should feel local again.
-
A REAL WORLD SERIES
-
baseball player
If it’s called the World Series, make it one.
Each country with a professional league would send its national champion to a World Cup–style tournament held every spring. Early rounds would be group play; finals would be a classic best-of-seven.
The U.S. should host the opening tournament and final rounds—honoring baseball’s roots while embracing its global future.
-
ADOPT SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
Every professional team should adopt a local school district and college, fully funding sports programs and scholarships.
Players would serve as off-season coaches. Students would attend games for free.
You don’t grow fans by advertising. You grow fans by growing players.
-
EDUCATION SHOULD MATTER
Professional athletes should be required to earn a college degree.
A provisional first year could be allowed, but the degree must be completed before year two. This sets a standard no major league currently enforces—and it’s long overdue.
-
OPEN THE GAME TO THE WORLD
Encourage international players. Allow U.S. players to compete overseas while under contract. Let baseball circulate globally the way soccer does.
The World Baseball Classic has already proven this works.
-
PAY FOR PERFORMANCE
Winning should matter financially.
Winning teams earn more. Losing teams earn less (with costs covered). This restores urgency and accountability to every game.
-
STREAM IT EVERYWHERE
Baseball should be available worldwide—free or for a small monthly fee—through a unified platform. No blackout nonsense. No maze of subscriptions.
If people can’t watch, they won’t care.
-
MODERNIZE THE CULTURE
Allow girls and women to play baseball at all levels. I don’t see why women could not compete. Unlike football, perhaps and soccer and basketball should also be co-ed.
Eliminate racist team names and legacies permanently.
Adopt common-sense public health and transportation policies that make attending games safer and easier.
Allow Corporations to Open Teams
In Japan and Korea major corporations open teams. I don’t see why we can’t do that in the US too,
THE BOTTOM LINE
Baseball is no longer America’s pastime—but it could be again.
Globally, the sport is growing. The missing ingredient isn’t talent or interest. It’s courage.
Doing nothing guarantees decline. Acting boldly could spark a renaissance.
The ball is in MLB’s court.
————————————————————
ADDENDUM I: LETTER TO THE MLB COMMISSIONER
————————————————————
To: Rob Manfred
Commissioner of Baseball
Major League Baseball
Email: rob.manfred@mlb.com [catholicleague.org]
Subject: Making Baseball Great Again — A Fan’s Proposal for the Future of the Game
Dear Commissioner Manfred,
I am writing as a lifelong baseball fan who deeply cares about the future of the game.
Baseball is facing a slow but undeniable decline in the United States, particularly among younger fans. Attendance is constrained by affordability, local community ties have weakened, and fewer children are growing up playing the sport. At the same time, baseball is thriving internationally, as demonstrated by the World Baseball Classic and the growth of professional leagues around the world.
This contrast tells us something important: baseball itself is not broken. Its structure, accessibility, and vision in the U.S. are.
Attached to this message is an essay titled Making Baseball Great Again, outlining a set of bold but practical reforms focused on affordability, expansion, education, community investment, global competition, and modernized media access.
This is not a nostalgic appeal. It is a forward‑looking proposal rooted in the belief that baseball can once again be a central part of American life—while fully embracing its global future.
I hope you and your staff will take the time to read it and consider engaging in a public conversation about where the game is headed.
Respectfully,
Jake Cosmos Aller
Lifelong San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s fan
The World According to Cosmos
https://worldaccordingtocosmos.com
2) ONE‑PAGE PDF (READY TO EMAIL TO MLB)
Your one‑page executive summary PDF is already created and ready to attach.
Download it here:
Making Baseball Great Again – One‑Page Executive Summary PDF
3) FOLLOW‑UP EMAIL (IF MLB DOESN’T RESPOND)
Send this 10–14 days after the first email.
To: rob.manfred@mlb.com
Subject: Following Up: Making Baseball Great Again
Dear Commissioner Manfred,
I am following up on a previous message I sent regarding my essay Making Baseball Great Again, which outlines several practical proposals focused on affordability, community investment, education, and global competition.
I understand how busy your office is, but I genuinely believe these ideas reflect concerns shared by many longtime fans who want to see baseball thrive—not just globally, but here at home.
Even a brief acknowledgment or referral to the appropriate department would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you again for your time and for your stewardship of the game.
Respectfully,
Jake Cosmos Aller
The World According to Cosmos
https://worldaccordingtocosmos.com
I will email this to the MLB and update this blog piece if and when they respond.
————————————————————
ADDENDUM II: WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC — CHAMPIONS
————————————————————
2006 — Japan
2009 — Japan
2013 — Dominican Republic
2017 — United States
2023 — Japan
Source:
https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/history
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Baseball_Classic [mlb.com] [en.wikipedia.org]
————————————————————
ADDENDUM III: WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS (LAST 10 YEARS)
————————————————————
2025 — Los Angeles Dodgers
2024 — Los Angeles Dodgers
2023 — Texas Rangers
2022 — Houston Astros
2021 — Atlanta Braves
2020 — Los Angeles Dodgers
2019 — Washington Nationals
2018 — Boston Red Sox
2017 — Houston Astros
2016 — Chicago Cubs
Source:
https://www.espn.com/mlb/worldseries/history/winners
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_Series_champions [espn.com] [en.wikipedia.org]
Make Baseball Great Again, revised
Make Baseball Great Again, revised
Why the Game Still Matters—and How to Save It
audio clips
My thoughts on the dismal state of Baseball and what can be done to bring it back
https://worldaccordingtocosmos.com
Baseball is quietly losing its place in American life—not because the game is broken, but because it has become unaffordable, inaccessible, and disconnected from the communities that once sustained it. Meanwhile, the sport is thriving globally. If baseball is going to survive as more than a niche pastime in its homeland, Major League Baseball must act boldly—and now.
Baseball is at a crossroads.
In the United States, it has quietly slipped from “America’s pastime” to fifth place behind football, basketball, hockey, and soccer. Among younger fans, the decline is even steeper. Tickets are too expensive. Games feel disconnected from local communities. Fewer kids grow up playing the sport.
And yet—here’s the paradox—baseball is thriving globally.
The World Baseball Classic, international leagues, and rising talent from Japan, Korea, Latin America, and Europe prove the game itself is not broken. What’s broken is how Major League Baseball relates to fans, families, and communities at home.
This is not a call for nostalgia. It’s a call for leadership.
As Vin Scully once said, “Baseball is a game of the soul.” That soul is still there. It just needs oxygen.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Attending a professional baseball game has become unaffordable for the average person. A family outing can cost hundreds of dollars before the first pitch. That alone explains why stadiums struggle to fill seats on weeknights.
At the same time, schools are cutting sports programs due to costs and liability concerns. Fewer kids learn the game. Fewer fans are born.
When I was young, American sports meant football, basketball, and baseball. Everything else was secondary. Today, baseball risks becoming a niche sport in its own homeland—while cricket grows faster in the U.S. than MLB.
That should alarm everyone who cares about the game.
THE CORE IDEA: BASEBALL NEEDS BOLD REFORM
Baseball doesn’t need better marketing. It needs structural change.
Here’s what making baseball great again actually looks like.
-
MAKE THE GAME AFFORDABLE
This is non-negotiable.
Most tickets should be capped at 50 dollars, with an average closer to 25. On game day, remaining tickets should sell for five dollars, with free tickets released just before first pitch.
Full stadiums create energy, loyalty, and long-term revenue. Soccer figured this out. Baseball can too.
-
EXPAND—DRAMATICALLY
There are too few professional teams.
Baseball should expand to every U.S. state, every Canadian province, Mexico, the Caribbean, and beyond—by converting minor league teams into top-tier clubs.
Regional leagues would reduce travel costs and create fierce local rivalries: San Francisco vs. Oakland vs. San Jose. Portland vs. Seattle. Sacramento vs. the Bay Area.
Baseball should feel local again.
-
A REAL WORLD SERIES
-
baseball player
If it’s called the World Series, make it one.
Each country with a professional league would send its national champion to a World Cup–style tournament held every spring. Early rounds would be group play; finals would be a classic best-of-seven.
The U.S. should host the opening tournament and final rounds—honoring baseball’s roots while embracing its global future.
-
ADOPT SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
Every professional team should adopt a local school district and college, fully funding sports programs and scholarships.
Players would serve as off-season coaches. Students would attend games for free.
You don’t grow fans by advertising. You grow fans by growing players.
-
EDUCATION SHOULD MATTER
Professional athletes should be required to earn a college degree.
A provisional first year could be allowed, but the degree must be completed before year two. This sets a standard no major league currently enforces—and it’s long overdue.
-
OPEN THE GAME TO THE WORLD
Encourage international players. Allow U.S. players to compete overseas while under contract. Let baseball circulate globally the way soccer does.
The World Baseball Classic has already proven this works.
-
PAY FOR PERFORMANCE
Winning should matter financially.
Winning teams earn more. Losing teams earn less (with costs covered). This restores urgency and accountability to every game.
-
STREAM IT EVERYWHERE
Baseball should be available worldwide—free or for a small monthly fee—through a unified platform. No blackout nonsense. No maze of subscriptions.
If people can’t watch, they won’t care.
-
MODERNIZE THE CULTURE
Allow girls and women to play baseball at all levels. I don’t see why women could not compete. Unlike football, perhaps and soccer and basketball should also be co-ed.
Eliminate racist team names and legacies permanently.
Adopt common-sense public health and transportation policies that make attending games safer and easier.
Allow Corporations to Open Teams
In Japan and Korea major corporations open teams. I don’t see why we can’t do that in the US too,
THE BOTTOM LINE
Baseball is no longer America’s pastime—but it could be again.
Globally, the sport is growing. The missing ingredient isn’t talent or interest. It’s courage.
Doing nothing guarantees decline. Acting boldly could spark a renaissance.
The ball is in MLB’s court.
————————————————————
ADDENDUM I: LETTER TO THE MLB COMMISSIONER
————————————————————
To: Rob Manfred
Commissioner of Baseball
Major League Baseball
Email: rob.manfred@mlb.com [catholicleague.org]
Subject: Making Baseball Great Again — A Fan’s Proposal for the Future of the Game
Dear Commissioner Manfred,
I am writing as a lifelong baseball fan who deeply cares about the future of the game.
Baseball is facing a slow but undeniable decline in the United States, particularly among younger fans. Attendance is constrained by affordability, local community ties have weakened, and fewer children are growing up playing the sport. At the same time, baseball is thriving internationally, as demonstrated by the World Baseball Classic and the growth of professional leagues around the world.
This contrast tells us something important: baseball itself is not broken. Its structure, accessibility, and vision in the U.S. are.
Attached to this message is an essay titled Making Baseball Great Again, outlining a set of bold but practical reforms focused on affordability, expansion, education, community investment, global competition, and modernized media access.
This is not a nostalgic appeal. It is a forward‑looking proposal rooted in the belief that baseball can once again be a central part of American life—while fully embracing its global future.
I hope you and your staff will take the time to read it and consider engaging in a public conversation about where the game is headed.
Respectfully,
Jake Cosmos Aller
Lifelong San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s fan
The World According to Cosmos
https://worldaccordingtocosmos.com
2) ONE‑PAGE PDF (READY TO EMAIL TO MLB)
Your one‑page executive summary PDF is already created and ready to attach.
Download it here:
Making Baseball Great Again – One‑Page Executive Summary PDF
3) FOLLOW‑UP EMAIL (IF MLB DOESN’T RESPOND)
Send this 10–14 days after the first email.
To: rob.manfred@mlb.com
Subject: Following Up: Making Baseball Great Again
Dear Commissioner Manfred,
I am following up on a previous message I sent regarding my essay Making Baseball Great Again, which outlines several practical proposals focused on affordability, community investment, education, and global competition.
I understand how busy your office is, but I genuinely believe these ideas reflect concerns shared by many longtime fans who want to see baseball thrive—not just globally, but here at home.
Even a brief acknowledgment or referral to the appropriate department would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you again for your time and for your stewardship of the game.
Respectfully,
Jake Cosmos Aller
The World According to Cosmos
https://worldaccordingtocosmos.com
I will email this to the MLB and update this blog piece if and when they respond.
————————————————————
ADDENDUM II: WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC — CHAMPIONS
————————————————————
2006 — Japan
2009 — Japan
2013 — Dominican Republic
2017 — United States
2023 — Japan
Source:
https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/history
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Baseball_Classic [mlb.com] [en.wikipedia.org]
————————————————————
ADDENDUM III: WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS (LAST 10 YEARS)
————————————————————
2025 — Los Angeles Dodgers
2024 — Los Angeles Dodgers
2023 — Texas Rangers
2022 — Houston Astros
2021 — Atlanta Braves
2020 — Los Angeles Dodgers
2019 — Washington Nationals
2018 — Boston Red Sox
2017 — Houston Astros
2016 — Chicago Cubs
Source:
https://www.espn.com/mlb/worldseries/history/winners
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_Series_champions [espn.com] [en.wikipedia.org]
Baseball is quietly losing its place in American life—not because the game is broken, but because it has become unaffordable, inaccessible, and disconnected from the communities that once sustained it. Meanwhile, the sport is thriving globally. If baseball is going to survive as more than a niche pastime in its homeland, Major League Baseball must act boldly—and now.
Baseball is at a crossroads.
In the United States, it has quietly slipped from “America’s pastime” to fifth place behind football, basketball, hockey, and soccer. Among younger fans, the decline is even steeper. Tickets are too expensive. Games feel disconnected from local communities. Fewer kids grow up playing the sport.
And yet—here’s the paradox—baseball is thriving globally.
The World Baseball Classic, international leagues, and rising talent from Japan, Korea, Latin America, and Europe prove the game itself is not broken. What’s broken is how Major League Baseball relates to fans, families, and communities at home.
This is not a call for nostalgia. It’s a call for leadership.
As Vin Scully once said, “Baseball is a game of the soul.” That soul is still there. It just needs oxygen.
WHAT WENT WRONG
Attending a professional baseball game has become unaffordable for the average person. A family outing can cost hundreds of dollars before the first pitch. That alone explains why stadiums struggle to fill seats on weeknights.
At the same time, schools are cutting sports programs due to costs and liability concerns. Fewer kids learn the game. Fewer fans are born.
When I was young, American sports meant football, basketball, and baseball. Everything else was secondary. Today, baseball risks becoming a niche sport in its own homeland—while cricket grows faster in the U.S. than MLB.
That should alarm everyone who cares about the game.
THE CORE IDEA: BASEBALL NEEDS BOLD REFORM
Baseball doesn’t need better marketing. It needs structural change.
Here’s what making baseball great again actually looks like.
-
MAKE THE GAME AFFORDABLE
This is non-negotiable.
Most tickets should be capped at 50 dollars, with an average closer to 25. On game day, remaining tickets should sell for five dollars, with free tickets released just before first pitch.
Full stadiums create energy, loyalty, and long-term revenue. Soccer figured this out. Baseball can too.
-
EXPAND—DRAMATICALLY
There are too few professional teams.
Baseball should expand to every U.S. state, every Canadian province, Mexico, the Caribbean, and beyond—by converting minor league teams into top-tier clubs.
Regional leagues would reduce travel costs and create fierce local rivalries: San Francisco vs. Oakland vs. San Jose. Portland vs. Seattle. Sacramento vs. the Bay Area.
Baseball should feel local again.
-
A REAL WORLD SERIES
-
baseball player
If it’s called the World Series, make it one.
Each country with a professional league would send its national champion to a World Cup–style tournament held every spring. Early rounds would be group play; finals would be a classic best-of-seven.
The U.S. should host the opening tournament and final rounds—honoring baseball’s roots while embracing its global future.
-
ADOPT SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
Every professional team should adopt a local school district and college, fully funding sports programs and scholarships.
Players would serve as off-season coaches. Students would attend games for free.
You don’t grow fans by advertising. You grow fans by growing players.
-
EDUCATION SHOULD MATTER
Professional athletes should be required to earn a college degree.
A provisional first year could be allowed, but the degree must be completed before year two. This sets a standard no major league currently enforces—and it’s long overdue.
-
OPEN THE GAME TO THE WORLD
Encourage international players. Allow U.S. players to compete overseas while under contract. Let baseball circulate globally the way soccer does.
The World Baseball Classic has already proven this works.
-
PAY FOR PERFORMANCE
Winning should matter financially.
Winning teams earn more. Losing teams earn less (with costs covered). This restores urgency and accountability to every game.
-
STREAM IT EVERYWHERE
Baseball should be available worldwide—free or for a small monthly fee—through a unified platform. No blackout nonsense. No maze of subscriptions.
If people can’t watch, they won’t care.
-
MODERNIZE THE CULTURE
Allow girls and women to play baseball at all levels. I don’t see why women could not compete. Unlike football, perhaps and soccer and basketball should also be co-ed.
Eliminate racist team names and legacies permanently.
Adopt common-sense public health and transportation policies that make attending games safer and easier.
Allow Corporations to Open Teams
In Japan and Korea major corporations open teams. I don’t see why we can’t do that in the US too,
THE BOTTOM LINE
Baseball is no longer America’s pastime—but it could be again.
Globally, the sport is growing. The missing ingredient isn’t talent or interest. It’s courage.
Doing nothing guarantees decline. Acting boldly could spark a renaissance.
The ball is in MLB’s court.
————————————————————
ADDENDUM I: LETTER TO THE MLB COMMISSIONER
————————————————————
To: Rob Manfred
Commissioner of Baseball
Major League Baseball
Email: rob.manfred@mlb.com [catholicleague.org]
Subject: Making Baseball Great Again — A Fan’s Proposal for the Future of the Game
Dear Commissioner Manfred,
I am writing as a lifelong baseball fan who deeply cares about the future of the game.
Baseball is facing a slow but undeniable decline in the United States, particularly among younger fans. Attendance is constrained by affordability, local community ties have weakened, and fewer children are growing up playing the sport. At the same time, baseball is thriving internationally, as demonstrated by the World Baseball Classic and the growth of professional leagues around the world.
This contrast tells us something important: baseball itself is not broken. Its structure, accessibility, and vision in the U.S. are.
Attached to this message is an essay titled Making Baseball Great Again, outlining a set of bold but practical reforms focused on affordability, expansion, education, community investment, global competition, and modernized media access.
This is not a nostalgic appeal. It is a forward‑looking proposal rooted in the belief that baseball can once again be a central part of American life—while fully embracing its global future.
I hope you and your staff will take the time to read it and consider engaging in a public conversation about where the game is headed.
Respectfully,
Jake Cosmos Aller
Lifelong San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s fan
The World According to Cosmos
https://worldaccordingtocosmos.com
2) ONE‑PAGE PDF (READY TO EMAIL TO MLB)
Your one‑page executive summary PDF is already created and ready to attach.
Download it here:
Making Baseball Great Again – One‑Page Executive Summary PDF
3) FOLLOW‑UP EMAIL (IF MLB DOESN’T RESPOND)
Send this 10–14 days after the first email.
To: rob.manfred@mlb.com
Subject: Following Up: Making Baseball Great Again
Dear Commissioner Manfred,
I am following up on a previous message I sent regarding my essay Making Baseball Great Again, which outlines several practical proposals focused on affordability, community investment, education, and global competition.
I understand how busy your office is, but I genuinely believe these ideas reflect concerns shared by many longtime fans who want to see baseball thrive—not just globally, but here at home.
Even a brief acknowledgment or referral to the appropriate department would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you again for your time and for your stewardship of the game.
Respectfully,
Jake Cosmos Aller
The World According to Cosmos
https://worldaccordingtocosmos.com
I will email this to the MLB and update this blog piece if and when they respond.
————————————————————
ADDENDUM II: WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC — CHAMPIONS
————————————————————
2006 — Japan
2009 — Japan
2013 — Dominican Republic
2017 — United States
2023 — Japan
Source:
https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic/history
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Baseball_Classic [mlb.com] [en.wikipedia.org]
————————————————————
ADDENDUM III: WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS (LAST 10 YEARS)
————————————————————
2025 — Los Angeles Dodgers
2024 — Los Angeles Dodgers
2023 — Texas Rangers
2022 — Houston Astros
2021 — Atlanta Braves
2020 — Los Angeles Dodgers
2019 — Washington Nationals
2018 — Boston Red Sox
2017 — Houston Astros
2016 — Chicago Cubs
Source:
https://www.espn.com/mlb/worldseries/history/winners
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_Series_champions [espn.com] [en.wikipedia.org
]Real Word Series Make Baseball Great Again
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