Should Bud Selig be in attendance when Bonds* breaks the record?

[DirtyKash]

ABC News: Selig Sidesteps Questions About Bonds

By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK May 17, 2007 (AP)

Bud Selig was willing to discuss just about everything other than Barry Bonds and steroids. The baseball commissioner sidestepped questions Thursday about whether he'll attend games as Bonds nears Hank Aaron's home run record of 755.

"Is he really approaching?" Selig, a longtime friend of Aaron, said facetiously after owners finished their two-day meeting. "I don't have anything different to say today. I'll make a decision at some appropriate time."

In 1974, commissioner Bowie Kuhn was criticized for not attending the game when Aaron hit No. 715 to break Babe Ruth's record. Kuhn was there when Aaron hit No. 714.

Bonds began Thursday with 745.

Selig also wouldn't say whether he was concerned that active players thus far have not agreed to be interviewed for former Sen. George Mitchell's steroids investigation and only a few have supplied requested medical records.

"That is something that my friends at the players' association, the players, you'll have to ask them," Selig said at a news conference.

Mitchell's investigation was not brought up during Thursday's meeting.

Owners approved baseball's new seven-year "Extra Innings" out-of-market television contracts with DirecTV and iN Demand, deals that guarantee the clubs an average of $80 million annually. Owners also approved the launch of the MLB Network, which Selig said will be available to at least 47 million homes when it starts broadcasting on Jan. 1, 2009.

"That will exceed any other cable channel launch in cable television history by almost 20 million homes," baseball executive vice president Tim Brosnan said, adding that the current high was set by MSNBC, which was available in 28 million homes a year after its launch in 1996.

The MLB Network will broadcast baseball programming 24 hours a day, including a weekly Saturday night live game during the regular season.

Selig said the new postseason schedule did not come up during the meetings. Last week, baseball announced that the World Series will start Oct. 24 and Game 7 will be Nov. 1, an effort that eliminates Friday night games and cuts Saturday night games from two to one. Those are the lowest-rated television nights of the week.

"I'm the one that always worried about the postseason schedule and how late we play," he said. "The sport is so popular, it's up to us to do everything to make sure as many people see as many things as possible. We get criticized when we don't do that. And I think putting the World Series on, starting it on a Wednesday, is good for us. I think more people will be able to watch it. I want the World Series ratings to reflect that this sport is more popular today than it's ever been."

Selig said baseball was not considering an expansion of the first round from best-of-five to best-of-seven.

"We're pressing now to Nov. 1. The clubs are not interested in shortening the season, and I understand it," he said. "And therefore, you can't have everything. There are a lot of people who believe a five-game series really has more tension, more pressure, every game means more."

At times, Selig also has said baseball would consider changing the first-round schedule to make it more difficult for wild-card teams, who currently are home for Games 3 and 4.

"We continue to talk about that," he said.

Brosnan said affiliation agreements were in place with 33 multisystem operators of cable television networks to carry the MLB Network on their widest digital tier. Baseball owns two-thirds of the network, DirecTV owns one-sixth and Comcast, Cox and Time-Warner Cable own the remaining sixth.

"We used the out-of-market package to leverage distribution, to be quite honest with you," Brosnan said.

Baseball originally reached an exclusive "Extra Innings" deal with DirecTV that was criticized by some. Brosnan said that agreement was a $400 million, four-year contract that gave the company a $300 million, three-year option.

Brosnan also said it was too early to determine whether baseball will send teams to China for exhibition games next March. He will be part of a baseball delegation traveling to China in May to examine ballparks.

"It's a giant, burgeoning marketplace that's just starting to figure out how to digest big U.S. sporting events," he said. "I think we'll know a heck of a lot more about the viability on our return."

[GiantsFanatic]

Too bad you and Selig are both bunch of cocksuckers.

[rockin500]

should he? eh, commisioners in previous years didnt attend these kind of things. the commish in 1974 certainly wasnt there.

its not buds job to be there. what happens if barry goes 8 days between homers? bud should not have to follow him around.

i like barry, but cmon now, lets be realistic. those who expect Bud and Henry to be around are ****tards.

[brewersfan19]

I TOTALLY agree with the who cares comment!!!!

I was hoping that "Bud" would show up and they both could get booed, and then they could hold each other for comfort. OR better yet, beat the SNOT out of each other, then that would be worth the paid admissions price.

As Master Card would say "PRICELESS"..

[Halladay_is_God]

douchebags, perfect word for Bonds and Selig

[GiantsFanatic]

douchebags, perfect word for Bonds and Selig

Take Bonds out and add the thread maker on that list.

[GiantsFanatic]

I TOTALLY agree with the who cares comment!!!!

I was hoping that "Bud" would show up and they both could get booed, and then they could hold each other for comfort. OR better yet, beat the SNOT out of each other, then that would be worth the paid admissions price.

As Master Card would say "PRICELESS"..

Here is the problem, I did not care if Selig would have shown up or not in the 1st place, til he(Selig) brought it up himself, if he had stayed quite we wouldn't even be talking about this right now!

[DravenX]

Went with, "Who cares, both Bonds* and Selig are douchebags."

[Halladay_is_God]

Take Bonds out and add the thread maker on that list.

I can stand by my comment and will add, Bonds is a douchebag, a liar, and a cheater, each of his HR has been tainted for years.

[love_that_reefer]

Bonds could care less who is going to be there so why should we? I know I don't.

[GiantsFanatic]

I can stand by my comment and will add, Bonds is a douchebag, a liar, and a cheater, each of his HR has been tainted for years.

Ruth and Aaron have done the same thing.

[A'sDiehard]

Selig is an assbag and Bonds is an asshole. I think they're related.

That said I'll be watching.