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Collective Identity And Basketball: An Explanation For The Decreasing Number Of African-Americans On America's Baseball Diamonds, David C. Ogden, Michael L. Hilt

Communication Faculty Publications

A growing body of evidence shows a widening gulf between baseball and African-Americans. African-Americans comprise less than three percent of the players at the highest competitive levels of youth baseball and three percent of NCAA Division I baseball players. African-Americans constitute less than five percent of spectators at some Major League parks and the percentage of African-American players in the Major Leagues has reached a 30-year low. Basketball has become pre-eminent among sports in African-American culture. Baseball assumed that role at one time, with even small African-American enclaves sponsoring and supporting teams during the first decades of the 20th Century. …

College Baseball Popularity Traced To Espn Coverage, Michael L. Hilt

Communication Faculty Publications

The College World Series began in 1947. But it did not have a national television contract until 1980, when ESPN agreed to carry some of the games.

Since then college baseball, and specifically the College World Series, has experienced a popularity explosion. That popularity increase can be directly attributed to ESPN.