What would be the right game time length in travel ball?

[tomorrow]

What would be the right game time length in travel ball?
Would it change based on age?
Would it change based on skill level?
Should tournaments have less games that are longer length?

It seems to me at the ages where growth in the game is suppose to happen the day at the field is to long and the games are to short.

It seems the bottom of the line up will bat half as much as the top. IF you lengthened the game time and had less games it seems like it would be helpful and more enjoyable.

 

[uncdrew]

We've certainly been in lots of 10U and 12U games capped at 60 minutes (drop dead). They stink.

 

[_MIA_]

The games should get longer as they get older as:

a) the players need to prepare/learn to play longer games in school ball and
b) I won't die from watching a longer game like I would in many typical 10U/12U games

 

[JLI2010]

Eliminate the clock and just play 6 innings. This way you don't get coaches manipulating the game by wasting time. Maybe 4 innings at 10U, 6 at 12U and so on.

 

[_MIA_]

Eliminate the clock and just play 6 innings. This way you don't get coaches manipulating the game by wasting time. Maybe 4 innings at 10U, 6 at 12U and so on.

Hard to manage a tournament without time limits. As it is, people get pissed when their 8 PM game is 30 minutes late. I never played a time limited game in my life but back when I played there were never tournaments like they have now.

 

[Strike2]

For most age groups, certainly 14u upward, 1+30 finish the inning or 1+20 finish plus one is about right. Game lengths are mostly predictable and the clock becomes far less of a factor.

Some tournaments offer an untimed championship round and some showcases play full games regardless of time. On the other end, one-hour pool games suck, and I wouldn't sign up for a tournament that had one-hour bracket.

 

[steve1244]

In SoCal 12U, drop deads are usually 1:15 or 1:30.

 

[JLI2010]

In SoCal 12U, drop deads are usually 1:15 or 1:30.

In FL USSSA we get 70 min pool and 75 minute bracket. 1:30 would be nice! The worst is when they shorten to 60 minutes because of weather.

 

[Jeffrey]

7 innings once you get to 18U...they can drive themselves mostly.
16U I'd go for 5 innings...they usually get 5 in anyway. 7 for championship game?
Either way make it an innings limit, not a clock. It's not supposed to be a timed sport.
Drop dead shouldn't be a thing...nor reverting scores.

 

[quincy]

In FL USSSA we get 70 min pool and 75 minute bracket. 1:30 would be nice! The worst is when they shorten to 60 minutes because of weather.

When it is 60 degrees.