WBC Begins Today With Split Global Interest

The second iteration of the World Baseball Classic begins today before a near sellout crowd in Tokyo as Japan looks to successfully defend its championship. Ticket sales are pacing ahead of those from the ’06 edition, and organizers are hoping to build upon the surprising support found for the event three years ago. However, there certainly are some major obstacles that continue to stand in the way of the WBC gaining an Olympics-type of following. The timing of the tournament is drawing criticism from those who think the first part of March is too soon to expect MLB players to be ready for serious competition. Also, many stars are not participating in the event for a variety of reasons, and that lack of star power presents a hindrance to gaining traction in the U.S.

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