Hey Shannon look who the Mets are pulling for.

The All Star Game has not yet resulted in increased attendance.

I just left the Shake Shack. There were not 20,000 people on line.

Makes sense.

Leigh is VP ticket sales and services.

11:57am: So far not much interesting other than the announcement itself.

I did like that Fred mentioned this was Jeff’s project.

I’ll update this post as things develop.

NEW YORK METS AWARDED THE 2013 ALL-STAR GAME
Mets Will Host Midsummer Classic for Second Time; Ninth for New York City

NEW YORK, NY – The New York Mets have been awarded Major League Baseball’s 2013 All-Star Game and will host the 84th Midsummer Classic at Citi Field, Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig announced today at a press conference at City Hall. Commissioner Selig was joined by the Mayor of New York, the Honorable Michael R. Bloomberg, and New York Mets Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Fred Wilpon.

The 2013 All-Star Game will mark the second time that the Mets, who are commemorating their 50th anniversary in 2012, will host the Midsummer Classic. Shea Stadium hosted the 1964 All-Star Game, a 7-4 National League victory that featured 21 participating Hall of Famers, including Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Sandy Koufax, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays and Frank Robinson, as well as MLB’s Executive Vice President for Baseball Operations, Joe Torre. It will be the ninth All-Star Game in Baseball history to be played in New York City, which is the most of any host city.

 
Commissioner Selig said: “As we celebrate the franchise’s golden anniversary this year, I am pleased to award the 2013 All-Star Game to the New York Mets and their loyal fans. We are delighted to bring the Midsummer Classic to Citi Field, a wonderful ballpark that has carried on the remarkable National League tradition in New York City. The Mets will be superb hosts to next summer’s greatest sporting event.”

 
“Thanks to the efforts of Mayor Bloomberg and Commissioner Selig, it’s a great honor for everyone at the Mets to host the 2013 All-Star Game at Citi Field,” Wilpon said. “Mets fans and all people in the New York tri-state area and beyond will have the opportunity to take part in the events that Major League Baseball will bring to New York.”

 
“Next year’s All-Star Game is going to demonstrate once again that there’s no place like New York for world-class sporting events,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Major League Baseball clearly recognizes this, since they’re bringing the All-Star Game back to New York for the second time in just five years.”

 
The 84th All-Star Game is tentatively scheduled to be played at Citi Field on Tuesday, July 16, 2013.

The bold is mine and I still say (without ever having actually planned an All Star Game) that this could all have been hammered out in a three hour meeting.

Parking for satellite trucks?  Really?  In a city where there’s a movie shoot in midtown almost every day?

The formal announcement is late in coming. In years past, M.L.B. would announce the host and then formalize the details with the host city. All-Star Games have become so elaborate, though, that M.L.B. now negotiates many of the details with the potential host city before announcing the event. M.L.B. holds red-carpet events, parades and concerts, all of which require permits, police presence and traffic control. Satellite trucks need parking, convention centers are reserved and large blocs of hotel rooms are booked as well.

…

Talks with the city have been going on for some time, the person involved said, and the Mets’ financial problems and court battles were not a factor.

via Mets to Host 2013 All-Star Game at Citi Field – NYTimes.com.