why do baseball games start when they do?

While getting ready to listen to the Brewers game tonight, I made a mental note that the game would be starting at 7:10PM.

Back in 1980s, I can remember Brewers night games starting at 7:30PM.  After a few years of that start time, they adjusted the time back down to 7PM.  That time was easy for fans to make their way to the ballpark, and hopefully get home before 11PM.

Now that almost every baseball game is televised, every game either starts at 7:05, or in the case of this year, the start time is 7:10 for Milwaukee home games.  This allows for a short pre-game show for fans at home as well as time for a short interview prior to the game.

Each individual team has the ability to create their own start time.  The St. Louis Cardinals night games always start at 7:15PM.  A little more TV analysis for a more rabid fan base.

7-11 sponsored the start of White Sox games from 2007-2009

The most interesting start time for games occurred when the Chicago White Sox signed a deal with convenience store 7-11 a few years back.  In that deal, the White Sox got $500,000 per year to start all their night games at 7:11.