Should MLB Opening Day be declared a national holiday?

[bankshot1]

If this has already been posted my apologies.
 
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/02/theres-a-petition-to-make-baseballs-opening-day-a-national-holiday/   (Budweiser's video)
 
http://www.budweiser.com/opening-day.html?gclid=CK6s1Pbo8bwCFVRo7AodrU4AVw  (Budweiser's petition) 
 
 If it gets 100,000 signatures, the White House will have to respond.
 
 
Now I figure this is just an advertising campaign by Bud to push more beer, and push baseball, and there's nothing wrong with that,as long as you drink and push responsibly. And while I figure they'll get the 100,000 votes needed to get an official response from the 1st fan, who will sing the praises of the game, the beer, and the Sox (White) we aren't getting a holiday out of this.
 
But what say you baseball fans of SoSH
 
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/declare-major-league-baseball-opening-day-national-holiday/3XNmgfBb
 
 
 

MLB Opening Day is more than just the beginning of the season. It’s a symbol of rebirth. The coming of spring. The return of America's national pastime. It’s a state of mind where anything is possible. You can feel the electricity in the air. Opening Day brings with it the promise of a new beginning. Every fan is in good spirits. It’s a day of celebration. It’s a day of hope. It’s a day that, for generations, has been looked forward to by baseball fans every off-season. It’s an American tradition, and it deserves to be recognized as an American holiday. Join us in our quest to make sure every American can exercise their inalienable right to celebrate the day those two magical words are uttered for the first time: “PLAY BALL!"
 

 

[PC Drunken Friar]

Not until the day after the Super Bowl is a holiday. (Or they move Presidents say to that Monday.)

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Not until the day after the Super Bowl is a holiday. (Or they move Presidents say to that Monday.)

 
I think it's more likely that the Super Bowl is going to end up pushed back a couple more weeks so that it falls on the Sunday before Presidents' Day than the government changing the holiday to suit the game.

 

[YTF]

Yeah, cause we need a few more weeks of hype leading up to the game.

 

[bankshot1]

Yeah, cause we need a few more weeks of hype leading up to the game.

If the SB were to be pushed back, it would likely be as a result of the NFL getting the 18-game schedule it wants.

 

[Marbleheader]

I love me some baseball, but there is no chance this happens simply for baseball. However, we really do need an end of March Monday holiday.



Pushing back the start of the NFL season would be more likely than having a 3 week gap between the conference championship and SB.

 

[YTF]

If the SB were to be pushed back, it would likely be as a result of the NFL getting the 18-game schedule it wants.

 
Possibly, but if that were to happen you're likely looking at a shorter pre-season  so either the regular season is going to start earlier or training camps will start later.

 

[bankshot1]

IMO the NFL would swap out an exhibition game  for regular season games in a heartbeat. If the NFL player union were to agree, I could see a 3 game exhibition schedule with a 18-game regular season, versus the current 4 +16 season, and it would have little real impact on the length of the season, other than extending the season by 1-2 weeks into relatively quiet month of February. 

 

[YTF]

IMO the NFL would swap out an exhibition game  for regular season games in a heartbeat. If the NFL player union were to agree, I could see a 3 game exhibition schedule with a 18-game regular season, versus the current 4 +16 season, and it would have little real impact on the length of the season, other than extending the season by 1-2 weeks into relatively quiet month of February. 

 
This will be the sticking point. I think something could be worked out, but you can bet that the players will NOT want to extend even a week without proper compensation (whatever that may be). This will have to be bargained. I can't see the NFL going to a 17 game season, so I'm guessing we're talking 18 games. I'm thinking the players may swap two pre-season games for two regular season, but it's not going to be as simple as that because it stands to reason that the owner's revenues will increase and the PA isn't looking to make the owners any richer.  

 

[bankshot1]

Total hi-jack
 
IMO the NFL needs to play 3 exhibition games (the 4th is a joke-its for back-ups) So a 3 + 18 is the likely negotiated outcome.
 
There's probably more than enough money in giving the networks 2 more weekends of rating-rich football, to pay players and expanding rosters for the added injury risk  that adding games might entail. IMO the PA probably would like to see the owners get wealthier, as  long as there is a sharing of that wealth. IMO2 its a matter of when not if.

 

[scottyno]

opening day isn't even one day, it's several days

 

[terrisus]

opening day isn't even one day, it's several days

 
Well, if we make it a holiday where people would be home and could watch all day - instead of teams trying to force games into that precious "Prime Time" slot - they could stage them throughout the day.

 

[Toe Nash]

This is sort of a weird question on a Sox-centric board. Seems like we're ahead of the curve with the early spring holiday, on which we always have a morning game....and that is often part of the opening home series for the Sox, even if it's not on Opening Day.

 

[Rasputin]

All the problems with SuperBowl Sunday can be solved by moving the game to Saturday.

Of course baseball's opening day should be a national holiday. The two world series participants can plan the night before--against each other if possible--and you can have every single possible time slot filled with games.

That would be a good day.

 

[kenneycb]

All the problems with SuperBowl Sunday can be solved by moving the game to Saturday.

Except for the issue of the NFL and it's sponsors entertaining its important clientele, which is arguably as important to the league as the game.

 

[Rasputin]

Except for the issue of the NFL and it's sponsors entertaining its important clientele, which is arguably as important to the league as the game.

 
Fuck them.

 

[YTF]

All the problems with SuperBowl Sunday can be solved by moving the game to Saturday. Of course baseball's opening day should be a national holiday. The two world series participants can plan the night before--against each other if possible--and you can have every single possible time slot filled with games. That would be a good day.

 
I like both of these ideas. With the two weeks in between the Conference Championships and The Super Bowl, bumping up a day early should be no issue as far as the teams are concerned though the league may have other concerns to contend with. As for Opening Day, with interleague play now being a year long thing, would be great to see the World Series participants starting the season against each other, especially if it was an outstanding series.

 

[Orel Miraculous]

This is worse than the Drew thread.

 

[bobbo]

If this is under petition to be a national holiday then the day after the super bowl needs to be right there in the petition as well.

 

[Marbleheader]

Read the thread.

 

[Savin Hillbilly]

opening day isn't even one day, it's several days

 
QFT
 
This is one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard. National holidays are supposed to be about things that transcend individual tastes and preoccupations, things that matter (or arguably *should* matter) to everybody. Much as I love baseball I would never in a million years make that claim for it. It would be like making the opening of fishing season a national holiday.

 

[terrisus]

 
QFT
 
This is one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard. National holidays are supposed to be about things that transcend individual tastes and preoccupations, things that matter (or arguably *should* matter) to everybody. Much as I love baseball I would never in a million years make that claim for it. It would be like making the opening of fishing season a national holiday.

 
Can we trade it for Columbus Day?
 
Also, "New Year's Day" is nothing more than celebrating our particular calendar system. That can go too.

 

[Savin Hillbilly]

 
Can we trade it for Columbus Day?
 
Also, "New Year's Day" is nothing more than celebrating our particular calendar system. That can go too.

 
Columbus Day can't go quick enough for me. But at least New Year's Day marks something that's common to a whole culture, even if it's light on content.

 

[Pozo the Clown]

I've always been of the belief that the MLB trade deadline day should be a national holiday.  I get absolutely no work done as I'm constantly monitoring the worldwide interweb for transactions and/or rumors thereof.  Come to think of it, it's really not that different than any other "work" day.

 

[OttoC]

opening day isn't even one day, it's several days

 
Yeah, I was going to ask if all teams had to open on the same day. And what would they do with the games played in other countries?

 

[zenter]

Agree with many in this thread. I'll just add: Opening Day should get in line behind 1) the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, 2) New Year's Eve, and 3) Super Bowl Hangover Monday. The order of 2 and 3 is not important to me.

 

[terrisus]

And what would they do with the games played in other countries?

 
Have the Blue Jays always open on the road, and eliminate starting games for other teams in other countries?
It's not like there are many MLB teams located outside the US - a grand total of 1 right now. So the only other issue is their Japan/Australia/etc. openers.

 

[terrisus]

Also, all the people saying "The day after the Super Bowl" in here - so we should have a national holiday because people drink too much alcohol and incapacitate themselves for the next 24 hours? Really?

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

Also, all the people saying "The day after the Super Bowl" in here - so we should have a national holiday because people drink too much alcohol and incapacitate themselves for the next 24 hours? Really?

 
Isn't that why New Year's Day is a holiday?

 

[terrisus]

 
Isn't that why New Year's Day is a holiday?

 
Hence why I said we could eliminate New Year's Day as a holiday above as well.
 
At least with New Year's, people have a possible non-alcohol reason for not being at their best - wanting to stay up until midnight to see an arbitrary date and time change. I would assume the Super Bowl gets over before midnight (I honestly couldn't tell you what time they play it at, but just an assumption).

 

[OttoC]

 
Have the Blue Jays always open on the road, and eliminate starting games for other teams in other countries?
It's not like there are many MLB teams located outside the US - a grand total of 1 right now. So the only other issue is their Japan/Australia/etc. openers.

 
I was thinking of places other than Canada.

 

[terrisus]

You don't drink or watch the Super Bowl?

 
Nope.
 

 
I was thinking of places other than Canada.

 
Well, as far as the games MLB places in other countries, I would assume they have some control over the day and time it takes place.
And, even if it doesn't line up nicely with the other games, at least the other games can work well with the holiday.

 

[h8mfy]

I realize that most folks watch on TV, but having attended opening days in several cities, part of the fun is playing hooky from work - so I vote no.