Old timers sports leagues - similar to musicians?

[Tony]

The Cream thread got me thinking... would anyone pay to see, for example, a bunch of over the hill, out of shape baseball or football players playing exhibition games? Or maybe the games could actually count for something (like the seniors golf tour). Imagine Reggie, Johnny Bench, Brooks Robinson, Bob Gibson, Joe Rudi, I could go on and on. Or how about Terry Bradshaw, Kenny Stabler, Franco Harris, etc. If this works for music, why not team sports. Would anyone pay to see this?

National League vs American in a barnstorm across the US? Of maybe even a league of a few teams?

[kickz28]

I payed to see The Legends of the NHL play against my local team a couple of weeks ago.

Guy Lafleur, Normand Dupont, Stéphane Matteau, Yvon Lambert. Gaston Gingras, Gaston Therrien, Richard Sévigny, André «Moose» Dupont, Stéphane Richer, Réal Cloutier et Lous Sleigher.

It was really cool to see!

Joey

[Eric Karonen]

Originally Posted by kickz28

I payed to see The Legends of the NHL play against my local team a couple of weeks ago.

Guy Lafleur, Normand Dupont, Stéphane Matteau, Yvon Lambert. Gaston Gingras, Gaston Therrien, Richard Sévigny, André «Moose» Dupont, Stéphane Richer, Réal Cloutier et Lous Sleigher.

It was really cool to see!

Joey

It works here in Toronto too. It's always a charitable event and the turnout is pretty good. And if you're a fan, it's a treat to see those stars on the ice again.

[stevieboy]

Oldtimers sports games are meant to be exhibitons, a chance to see these guys in person, whether they can play or not. Of course they're not able to play like they used to. The attraction is just to see them, maybe get an autograph, give your kids a chance to see your old heroes in the flesh. People don't go for the high level of competition.

Older musicians don't lose their skills so quickly. Many get better and better with age. I for one thought the Cream show was really good, no matter how old, or young, the musicians were. Many didn't like it, and I wouldn't argue with them, but was it because they just couldn't play any more? Lots of guys have been worth seeing for what they could do at the time, not what they could do when they were young.

Of course that's not true of everyone, and not every old guy or band is worth seeing. I guess you've got to figure that out for yourself. I'd say if they are still putting out new recordings, they might be still "on their game," if not, they might just be putting on a nostalgia act.

There was an oldtimers baseball tour a few years back, like the late 80's I think, they'd play games before regular MLB games. It was somewhat popular but not enough to sustain it. Senior golf does okay, it can be pretty competitive. But it's the guys that have just reached the age to qualify that tend to do the best.

[John Harrison]

When I was a kid, in the SF Bay area, my dad took me to a charity softball game between the DJs of the most popular radio station and local athletic legends. The Legends' outfield consisted of Vince, Dom, and Joe Dimaggio, all former San Francisco Seals, of the old Pacific Coast League. What would YOU pay to see that, now?

That being said, I don't find it that pleasurable to watch a great athlete, well past his/her prime, go through the motions. Additionally, I don't know if trotting out the old war horses, especially against some local, ego-driven amateurs, is such a great idea. They have fantasy camps, after all, for those who can afford them.