I’m just a fat dude with no knowledge of anything. For all I know, the Mets already know that they are hosting the 2013 All Star Game as previously rumored. When the Yankees hosted I recall the announcement was made in January the year before, so it’s quite possible that MLB will grant the Mets the game and announce it in January.
After all, Bud Selig has previously said, ”I’d say their chances look pretty good” and the document from yesterday did mention something about All Star tickets. Yet, my brain keeps coming back to this one.
In July 2010 I posted an article where I looked at the possibilities for the ’13 game and I thought the Mets would get the game.
However, things change…
Assuming the AL/NL pattern continues as it has since 2007 (and that may be a stupid assumption)..
Miami. They have never had the game. New stadium. A currently sexy team. South Beach is a fun place to party and you can draw celebrities. Downside? None.
Washington. The Nationals have never had the game, and the ASG hasn’t been in Washington in 40 years. Baltimore hosted in 1993.
Cincinnati. They haven’t held it at this new park of theirs. They haven’t had the game since 1988.
Los Angeles. Anaheim just had the game, but so did New York, so that’s a wash between these two. Might an All Star game be a carrot for new owners? Tell the new guys that if they bail this team out they can have the game….which brings us to…
The Mets. The All Star Game is supposed to be a celebration. What do you suppose the story-line around a Wilpon hosted All Star Game might be? And if the Wilpons (and Katz) can’t hold on, maybe “and you can have the 2015 All Star Game” makes a nice carrot for the new owners. Can Bud afford to give the game to this franchise right now, or does he have to tell his friend that he just can’t right now? Again pure speculation and I may be talking out my cap.
Padres had it in 1992. If you’re going to Southern California, Dodger Stadium seems a better place. Especially while Vin Scully is still active.
If it’s me, and I want my event to be a fun celebration of baseball, not a distraction, I give it to Miami in 2013, an AL city (Minnesota? New park and last game in 1985) in 2014 and the Mets or Dodgers in 2015, and maybe the A’s new park in 2016 (last hosted 1987).
Yes that sucks. However Miami 2013 seems “safe” as opposed to the potential of a financial story with the Mets in 2013 and an imaginary 2015 Traditional Fire Sale story in Miami. Get Miami off the list while the getting is good, no?
Sorry Mets. I hope I’m dead wrong and you guys are just sitting on a mid-January announcement.
You bring up some good points. I would have to say that this is not the year for MLB to be celebrating the Mets! It is a trying time right now to be a Met fan. I have no problem being passed over for the All Star game.
It used to be a big deal, but its not that big anymore
You are onto something. The Mets hosted the 1964 game…and albeit ownership changed, never bothered hosting another for about 50 years. Maybe they don’t care. Maybe the economics of hosting an all-star game don’t make sense now…can the Mets really expect corporations and fans to pay even more exorbitant prices to all associated game events and the game itself so they can make a profit? Can MLB risk having the game at Debits Field (I stole that one) and the major story line be that the Mets are a shambles on and off the field?
As for the next owners, if that happens, how can it not be Einhorn? He grew up as Selig’s neighbor, can afford the team and has shown interest.
is Einhorn buying one of the minority shares? because otherwise he’s got no shot if it comes down to that.
Regardless, it’s unlikely the Mets will be a disaster and a distraction in mid 2013. And it’s certainly possible the Marlins will be, since they almost always are. Most of this offseason is a smokescreen for them, and what if Hanley pitches a fit, demands a trade or simply isn’t the stud he was prior to 2011. Just adding Reyes(and maybe Buerhle helps, maybe not, he’s not that good and he’s getting older) doesn’t make them a contender.
Although it’s another good argument for the Mets keeping Reyes. finished 2012 on a positive note with All-Star tickets as a season ticket carrot would’ve greatly increased sign-ups for 2013.
Do you really see people buying minority shares for $20 Million? The thought is getting roundly mocked.
I hope you are right that the Mets won’t be a “disaster and distraction” by mid-2013, but what evidence do you have of that being the case?
because look at 2011. They weren’t really a disaster or distraction for most of the season. it’s really only an offseason nothing to write narrative.
People mock because they don’t understand. There’s a lot of financial and legal mumbo jumbo in that document. Also, people that make 50k a year don’t seem to have a good grasp on the thought process of those that make 50 million a year. Reports are that people were indeed interesting in investing and the Mets only needed a couple more to complete this sale. (remember, it’s all at once. So until they get all ~10 nothing will happen. Also, clearly the Mets intend to buy up the difference themselves, so if they say only find 8 investors, they’ll just buy the 4 themselves. )
Losing “$70 Million”, however Sandy meant that, is not only a disaster, it is a disaster of epic proportion. A disaster that threatens the Mets viability on and off the field for the foreseeable future. Plus they won’t have their best player on the field next year and have not replaced him.
As for them buying 4 shares of their own team from themselves, that is a scheme worthy of Bernie Madoff.
my theory is that the money issues are what’s keeping Bud Selig from giving any ASG to Fred Wilpon, as much as we say that they’re “friends” and Bud hasn’t forced Wilpon’s hand in selling the team.
I feel like I read somewhere that Selig said he’d consider not alternating leagues again in the future, because there’s a glut of NL cities with new parks that would want the ASG and few in the AL. Another reason is that the Cubs are really pushing for 2014 — the 100th anniversary of Wrigley Field (though that may piss off the Red Sox, who wanted it for Fenway’s 100th in 2012).
But Minnesota is likely to get it soon, likely in ’14, and I’m pretty sure Washington and Miami both would like it soon in their new parks. I don’t know about SD, Cincy or Philly, who haven’t had it in their new ballparks. If the A’s ever get their new park, they’d certainly get the ASG as soon as possible. But other than Minnesota and (possibly) Oakland, there aren’t any other AL cities that haven’t had it in the past 10 years and/or are in new ballparks that haven’t hosted one. (It will never go to Tampa Bay in that dome.)
I think an announcement would have to come no later than, say, May. Selig may give the Mets as much time to get their stuff in order; otherwise, 2013 could go to Washington or Cincy or San Diego (if they’ve asked for it). Just my hunch.
Next July will give Kansas City two All-Star Games in 40 years to none for the New York Mets…Shea wasn’t good enough?
It’s my understanding the Mets didn’t request it for a long time. I’m not sure how long — whether they never requested it after ’64, or they gave up sometime in the ’80s. But that’s the first step with hosting an ASG — a team has to request it (and, presumably, present a report or something showing what they can offer).
I say Miami 2017. You know, when the lights go out on Broadway.
I thought about working that in, but I didn’t know who’d follow
Very simply, sell Fred, sell.