One way or another, we can now breathe easier in knowing that there will be All Stars at Citi Field next season.
Major League Baseball confirmed Wednesday morning that our New York Mets will host the 2013 MLB All-Star Game in Flushing next July. The announcement took place at City Hall on Wednesday morning as Mr. Met conceded the microphone to Mayor Michael Bloomberg and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig among other baseball dignitaries to confirm what's long been speculated as the preferred venue for next year's Midsummer Classic.
Seriously, he did. Take a look (via @sbnation):
Beaurcratic silliness likely caused the delay in the announcement, as navigating New York City policies and procudures for this scale of event can drive the average person mad. One thing that did not cause concern for Selig was the Wilpons' dire financial straits in recent months.
From ESPN New York:
"I have great faith in the Wilpons and the family and I was very confident they would work things out, and they have. I had no trepidation at all," Selig said.
The announcement means that the Mets will host the All-Star Game for the first time since Shea Stadium's inaugural season in 1964. With the Kansas City Royals hosting the big game this summer, the Los Angeles Dodgers now take over the mantle as the team with the longest All Star drought after last hosting the game in 1980.
The game itself should also put an exclamation point on what will hopefully be a wild year in New York sports in 2013,with the Yankees being the Yankees, the Brooklyn Nets coming to fruition, revitalized local sports teams with the Knicks, Rangers and Devils, and WrestleMania XXIX coming to MetLife Stadium next April and Super Bowl XXLVIII taking place there at the end of the 2013 NFL season. (And, hey, Islanders tickets are still cheap.)
The official press release is after the jump for those of you who are into that sort of thing.
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.
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