Why was the World Baseball Classic started?

Question

It makes no sense. The MLB has been snubbing the Olympics forever and then a few years ago they decide they want to get an international competition so they make a whole new thing. They should instead partake in the Olympics, but it's too late now that baseball and softball are gone from the Olympics in 2012.

Hockey takes a break in the middle of their season to celebrate the Olympics. Don't give me bs about injuries and stuff. That's not a real excuse

Answer 1

MLB has been snubbing the Olympics "forever"? Baseball has only been an official Olympic sport since 1992. And do you really think that MLB should shut down in the middle of their season for the Olympics? Do you think we should extend the baseball season another 2 weeks to do this? I certainly don't want to see the World Series being played into November.

And even if MLB supported the Olympic baseball tournament, it still would not have saved baseball from being dropped. The reason it was dropped was simply because there are not enough countries that can compete in it. This is the same reason that you do not see Aussie football in it, why you don't see racquetball, etc.

And I agree with the previous respondent who said that the Olympics were meant to be about amateur sports. There are not about a bunch of multimillionaires living in luxury hotels and showing their faces only to beat up a team from some third world country.

Answer 2

The Olympics dumped baseball, not the opposite

Answer 3

its like the world cup.

Answer 4

The WBC is just another of Selig's hare-brained notions.

Answer 5

Because the MLs draw from the Carib and South America, especially... plain and simple, there's many men that don't go to college there, and they play baseball all the time, as was done in the USA (before the land development of the 80s, and the stay-at-home video games that keep kids inside, across America). It's too hot for pampered American kids to play outside unless their moms drive them, in and air conditioned minivan -- meanwhile, kids play all day in the sun, where MLB is seeking players and USES this trumped-up event, simply to get MORE kids interested and thinking it can be them, etc.  

Answer 6

points  

Answer 7

The Olympics got rid of baseball.

I think it's better to have the WBC instead of Olympic baseball because it's played in non-Olympic years which means it gets more coverage than if it were just another Olympic event.

Answer 8

I'll take it the opposite way, the Olympics were supposed to be for amateur athletes to compete.  Not steroid pumped multimillionaires.  The only reason hockey and basketball use professionals now is ratings and ad $$$.  Thankfully baseball hasn't done that.  Let the amateurs play, and let the professionals stick to their leagues

Answer 9

this is why:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Baseb...

Answer 10

because you touch urself at night