Honestly, unless leagues institute Rugby 7s type amendments to their rules, I'm pretty much done watching games that don't include my favorite teams for about the next decade. Incidentally, Rugby 7s is terribly entertaining.
Football:
- 7 on 7
- 15 minute running halves
- 15 second play clock
- No huddles
- Free substitution/no more Too many Men if the player is clearly not involved in the play.
Basketball
- 3 on 3 (okay, 5 on 5 can stay)
- 12 minute running halves.
- Fouls are not called based on star power.
- Traveling is called in the NBA
- Constitutional Amendment stating that Zone is for sissies (exact wording) and outlawed on all levels.
Hockey
Honestly, hockey is quite entertaining as it is and games are still under 2 hours. I would still only watch the Bruins.
Baseball (This one is tough).
- 15 second pitch clock.
- Strike zone strictly enforced.
- Batter is not allowed outside the batters box for any reason.
- Only the catcher and first basemen are allowed to wear cups and only on defense (no cup, no junk pinching, less adjustments).
- Catcher conferences count as mound visits.
- Unless they are ejected or hurt, or they get the 3rd out of the inning, relief pitchers must face at least two full batters. If he gets those two out, he must pitch to a third. No more lefty specialists. You're a professional and making $5Mil/year for Pete's sake. Learn to throw down and in to a righty.
- Two warm up tosses for relievers. You just got done throwing the ball for 10 minutes and spent the last 5 just standing there. You're warm. Two tosses to get used to the mound. Done.
International Soccer
- Play to win. Retreating the ball all the way to your own keeper inside the box is an penalty kick from the dot.
- Going down like you have a broken leg, and standing up 20 seconds later is a 5 minute power play for the other team.
My suggestions.
Football
1. Start the game clock 10 seconds after an incomplete pass or out of bounds, even under 2 minutes to go.
2. No two minute warning.
3. Must wait at least one minute of game time between time outs.
4. Broadcasting network must pay fine of $1 million each time camera is panned on Rex Ryan, Bill Belichek, Odell Beckham, Jr., among others.
Basketball
1. Must wait at least one minute of game time between time outs.
2. When there is less than two minutes left, the team that is fouled has the option of having ten seconds taken off the clock.
3. Fouls need to be called on merit, and not depend on star status.
4. Go back to calling the team from Ohio the "Cleveland Cavaliers," not "LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers."
Hockey
Not too many complaints here. Yes, 20 minutes between periods can be a pain, but it seems that too many times, 20 minutes can go by between plays in baseball and football. Flopping/embellishment is an issue, of course, and will be addressed in soccer.
Baseball
1. No more than one pitching change in the middle of the inning.
2. No more than one conference between pitcher and catcher per inning.
3. If the catcher has to move his mitt to try to convince the umpire the pitch is a strike, it's an automatic ball.
4. Any team for any game has the option of having the DH.
Soccer
1. Significantly reduce the gross corruption and favortism in and around the game.
2. To reduce flopping, no foul should be called unless ref actually sees a foul.
3. If a player somehow gets hurt via incidental or no contact, player must submit to a protocol similar to concussions, which would have to include missing competitions for whatever appropriate time is needed to completely eliminate any strategic advantage of flopping. This rule can apply to all sports.
). The NFL is seeking better ratings at better TV times, but the game length doesn't fit anymore. Baseball is even worse.
