After years of speculation, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig made the official announcement on Wednesday, May 16 that the New York Mets will host the 2013 All-Star Game. This is a great way for the city to bring positive publicity to its new ballpark in Queens and welcome visitors from around the country to see their favorite players battle it out for the divisional All-Star title. After several rocky years on the new field, the Mets are hoping that the energy for the All-Star game will drive the team throughout the regular season as well.
The Mets started playing at their new home, Citi Field, in 2009, but they have suffered a heartbreaking losing records for all of their first three years. In addition, the team has had some financial troubles, leading owner Fred Wilpon to go through a long string of negotiations with the MLB over this game. It has been in the works for several years, promised to the city along with the 2008 game at the Yankee Stadium. Now that negotiations are complete, the city can officially start publicizing the game and hopefully create momentum around the Mets this year.
This will be the second time the NY Mets have had a chance to host the All-Star Game, with the first being in 1964. However, New York City has definitely seen its share of games, with the Yankees hosting four times, including 2008, which was their last year in Yankee Stadium. The Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants also hosted the game when they were in the area. And the metro New York area will see the Super Bowl come to the area in 2014, when the big game will take place just across the river at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.
New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg estimates that the game will bring the city $191 million in a combination of ticket sales, hotel revenue, and money from the associated events. According to ESPN, there will be a procession of athletes through Manhattan, a charity run, and a big concert all held that weekend as part of the festivities. In addition, the Fan Fest will be held at the Javits Convention Center. The city will set a record as the only to have hosted the MLB All-Star Game nine times.
Ticket prices for the game are expected to rise close to where they were for the game held at Yankee Stadium, which charged $150 to $725 for each seat. Compare this to the ticket's for this year's game in Kansas City, which are selling for $125 to $450. However, everything in New York is more expensive, so the steep prices are to be expected. For visitors who can't make it to New York for the game, Direct TV is the best place to get not only the game, but also surrounding events and interviews to complete the All-Star experience.
The All-Star game is scheduled for Tuesday, July 16, 2013, which is the latest the game will ever be played. It usually occurs earlier in the month of July. Unlike the NFL's Pro Bowl, the MLB's All-Star Game occurs in the middle of the season, giving players only half of the season to prove themselves worthy of selection to represent their league. However, it also ensures that players from the top teams get to play in the game, which the NFL's Super Bowl schedule does not allow. This encourages fans to attend because they know their favorite players will be there.
