First to Third: A WBC Update

So maybe you aren't watching the 2009 World Baseball Classic and maybe your friend isn't either, but even in America, someone is watching baseball on the world's stage. An event meant to be baseball's version of the World Cup, the WBC is in its second incarnation and is doing better attendance-wise and television viewership-wise than the inaugural classic in 2006.

According to the BizofBaseball.com, the 24 games in the first round of this year’s event averaged 18,893 fans, up 38.8 percent from 13,609 in '06, the last time the WBC was held. Sure, these games were held outside American borders, but domestic viewership of the WBC first round games in 2009 are up 90% from 2006, while ratings are up 40%, a sizeable increase for an international competition many argue Americans don't care about.

Miss the Classic? You're missing a lot. In a 1980-USA-hockey-over-the-USSR-esque upset, the Netherlands defeated the powerhouse Dominican Republic, sending the tournament favorites back home. The Americans are still alive and look to compete for their first WBC crown.

While the World Baseball Classic has a long way to go to catch up to other international competitions in terms of popularity, the WBC is making dramatic gains in popularity in just its second tournament and is well on its way to becoming an event baseball fans worldwide look forward to.

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