The problem is you can't support a major sport on hardcore fans, you need to attract the casual fan while maintaining your hardcore fans. That is the challenge.

It is also not a good thing for baseball that we are in a period where anyone who admits to caring about history and tradition is at best mocked and often vilified. I don't believe that sentiment is widely held, but anyone who openly discusses history or tradition is likely to be attacked by a small but extremely loud and violent portion of society.