Walk-up music

[Guest LL Coach]

Are there any little league rules or regulations related to “walk-up” music?  Opposing team’s parents had a loud, portable PA system directed at my pitcher, announcing their batters by name and playing music, but only for their team.  I talked with the opposing coach and told him I didn’t agree with it, but he didn’t care.  I’ve searched and am surprised I can’t find a LL rule governing it.

 

 

[mac266]

Lots of LL parents are doing this now.  I had one play a rap song with nasty lyrics and told her to cut off the song.  Then I reminded her to kill the music as soon as the batter's foot hits the box.  Other than that, I'm fine with it.

[kylehutson]

On 4/6/2021 at 9:17 AM, boyinr said:

Why stop at audio only?  How about one of these in centerfield with all of his 11U bio and recruiting information on it?  

STOP. GIVING. THEM. IDEAS.

[MadMax]

On 4/6/2021 at 7:17 AM, boyinr said:

Why stop at audio only?  How about one of these [big display on a trailer] in centerfield with all of his 11U bio and recruiting information on it?

NO! I'm putting my foot down as an umpire. If ya got the means to put anything in the ballpark to display, put something up that displays: 

1. The Score
2. The Count
3. The Time Remaining (optional)

... so everyone can quit asking me every few minutes, and just leave me alone! 

[beerguy55]

11 minutes ago, MadMax said:

NO! I'm putting my foot down as an umpire. If ya got the means to put anything in the ballpark to display, put something up that displays: 

1. The Score
2. The Count
3. The Time Remaining (optional)

... so everyone can quit asking me every few minutes, and just leave me alone! 

If you can't afford the big scoreboard, how about a Town Crier announcing score, count and outs every other pitch.

[aaluck]

On 4/4/2021 at 10:12 PM, Guest LL Coach said:

So why was it pointed at the pitcher?  

So is your problem that they have it there OR that they have it pointed onto the field?

If its because its 'pointed at the pitcher' then seems a bit trivial, what about if they point it a second base...is that alright?  If you don't like it there at all because of the "unfair" attention on the other team that's something different.

Me? I'd buy a bigger, better, louder PA and point it at the other parents.

[JonnyCat]

9 hours ago, beerguy55 said:

If you can't afford the big scoreboard, how about a Town Crier announcing score, count and outs every other pitch.

We actually have a town crier in our HS association. He, a certain umpire (when working the plate), always feels the need to announce the score in between innings. Maybe I can talk to him and maybe he can add who is due up each inning, too!

[mark38090]

I just had this same situation and I created a post about it. My issue was they would start the music when the pitcher started his windup and it would play well into the second pitch. When I told them to turn it off when the better got in the box they all looked at me and said they didn't have the control. It's sitting 10 feet behind me against the fence and extremely loud. I don't have an issue with it if it's finished when the batter gets in the box but starting it mid delivery and into the next pitch was my problem. 

[Velho]

Did a LL game last night. No music until 6 (final inning) the team rallying from behind and now it starts from the dugout. I killed it. "You haven't done it all game. You aren't starting now."

[Guest Coach Jay]

On 4/4/2021 at 7:45 AM, kylejt said:

No, there's no specific rule against that. 

I'm guessing you'd need to talk to your division rep, or league prez, as it's not against rules, it's childish. I'm guessing this is a younger age group, like 8 or 9 year olds. Sorry, but they're the worst, as far a bad behaving adults go. 

Of course the best "cure" for nonsense like that is to quietly put more runs on the board than they do. 

Now an umpire can deem it unsportsmanlike, and then warn and eject the adult for this. But that's a judgement call on their part. 

 

Ok Grandpa, we will get off your lawn. Baseball is fun, the kids see the guys in the Majors do it and in NCAA and they want to do it too. Again, it is fun. It is happening during a dead ball, so it's not like it is affecting the game. The girls do it all the time in Softball because... wait for it... they know how to have fun. Baseball's boring old guard needs to evolve, you are probably the same guy that would have your pitcher throw at a guy the next time he is up for swinging on a 3-0 count with a 10 run lead. No wonder numbers are declining. Let the kids have some fun. 

 

[Replacematt]

14 minutes ago, Guest Coach Jay said:

Ok Grandpa, we will get off your lawn. Baseball is fun, the kids see the guys in the Majors do it and in NCAA and they want to do it too. Again, it is fun. It is happening during a dead ball, so it's not like it is affecting the game. The girls do it all the time in Softball because... wait for it... they know how to have fun. Baseball's boring old guard needs to evolve, you are probably the same guy that would have your pitcher throw at a guy the next time he is up for swinging on a 3-0 count with a 10 run lead. No wonder numbers are declining. Let the kids have some fun. 

 

I think your comment is misdirected.

[noumpere]

8 hours ago, Guest Coach Jay said:

 It is happening during a dead ball,

 

Usually, it's not.

[SeeingEyeDog]

9 hours ago, Guest Coach Jay said:

Ok Grandpa, we will get off your lawn. Baseball is fun, the kids see the guys in the Majors do it and in NCAA and they want to do it too. Again, it is fun. It is happening during a dead ball, so it's not like it is affecting the game. The girls do it all the time in Softball because... wait for it... they know how to have fun. Baseball's boring old guard needs to evolve, you are probably the same guy that would have your pitcher throw at a guy the next time he is up for swinging on a 3-0 count with a 10 run lead. No wonder numbers are declining. Let the kids have some fun. 

 

On your way off the lawn...

Is baseball fun when parents are playing music, announcing or doing anything else that distracts the opposing team?

And to paraphrase Charles Barkley...MLB is a fantastic brand of baseball played by the sport's elite players. They are even allowed to wear all kinds of jewelry when they play. And yet, they are not role models.

~Dawg

[Rich Ives]

On 4/4/2021 at 3:49 PM, Guest LL Coach said:

I found the below reference in a 2017 post on another website, but the post didn’t specify the league it applies to or the document from which it was quoted.  Any ideas?

New Rule: The only music that may be played once the game starts is officially sanctioned music from the press box by the governing authorities of the facility. 5-10c.3.14.

 

 

Neither of those are LL rules.

 

[MadMax]

13 hours ago, Guest Coach Jay said:

Baseball's boring old guard needs to evolve,

I can only speak for the umpires here in Phoenix, but none of us are actively barring or prohibiting the use of walk-up or between-inning music. Most of us actually welcome it! It breaks the drone of muttering and the monotony of... oh would you look at that... another 6-pitch walk. 

If there’s anyone complaining about it, or campaigning against it, it’s usually the opposing coach(es)!!! 

I’ll tell ya this much, too, from observation – there is nothing more motivating or satisfying to an amateur travel ball team than beating an opponent who has one of those fancy-schmancy sound systems with the walk-up music and the announced names (by a guy who sounds like he does those commercials for local bands, monster truck rallies, or bandit races on the local radio station). 

[mark38090]

On 5/20/2021 at 12:04 AM, Guest Coach Jay said:

Ok Grandpa, we will get off your lawn. Baseball is fun, the kids see the guys in the Majors do it and in NCAA and they want to do it too. Again, it is fun. It is happening during a dead ball, so it's not like it is affecting the game. The girls do it all the time in Softball because... wait for it... they know how to have fun. Baseball's boring old guard needs to evolve, you are probably the same guy that would have your pitcher throw at a guy the next time he is up for swinging on a 3-0 count with a 10 run lead. No wonder numbers are declining. Let the kids have some fun. 

 

So, using your analogy, you're saying since the guys in the majors throw tantrums after they don't agree with a third strike, check swing, or other call it becomes OK for the kids. That's an interesting view. 

[kylejt]

Getting "called out" by a 7u, fully uniformed travel ball coach is hilarious. 

[Replacematt]

On 5/21/2021 at 6:59 AM, mark38090 said:

So, using your analogy, you're saying since the guys in the majors throw tantrums after they don't agree with a third strike, check swing, or other call it becomes OK for the kids. That's an interesting view. 

That wasn't an analogy, it was an explanation. And he's right.

[Guest TeamMom]

It sounds like you’re one of those uptight parents and don’t know how to have fun in baseball. Player name announcements and walk up song is just for fun and only done while the player is walking up, gets the kids pumped and nothing more.