April 22, 2008

The State of College Baseball

Uniform Start Date, Scheduling

Compiled by Patrick Hyde

Before the start of the 2008 season, CollegeBaseballInsider.com sent surveys to the nearly 300 college baseball head coaches in an effort to take the pulse of the game today. More than a third of the coaches responded. Over the next couple weeks, we'll reveal their answers ranging from the uniform start date and recruiting to the top programs in the country and the College World Series. CBI presents The State of College Baseball.

The 2008 season marked the first time that the college baseball season started on the same date for everyone (save for Hawaii and Hawaii-Hilo starting a week early). The uniform start date was pushed for by "Northern" schools, who argued that the Southern and Western schools had an unfair advantage by playing home games as Northern schools were shoveling snow.

The coaches said:

*   77 percent (74 of 96) said the uniform start date is good for college baseball

*   Yet, only 55 percent (52 of 95) said the start date will help level the playing field for Northern schools

*   A byproduct of the start date is that 64 percent (61 of 96) said that scheduling is more difficult