Fare Thee Well: Yankee Stadium To Host ’08 MLB All-Star Game

By Eric Fisher, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal

Selig (l) And Bloomberg At Announcement Of Yankee Stadium Hosting '08 All-Star Game

As expected, MLB and the City of N.Y. announced this morning that the ‘08 All-Star Game will be held at Yankee Stadium. Scheduled for July 15 next year in the stadium's final season, the event is projected to generate an estimated $148M in economic activity. “We believe this is the best way we can honor the cathedral that has meant so much to our sport," said MLB Commissioner Bud Selig. Selig also said the Mets –- who, like the Yankees, are scheduled to open a new ballpark in ’09 — are a "strong candidate" to win a future All-Star Game. "We're thrilled the Midsummer Classic is returning to New York," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "I'll finally get my chance to enter the Home Run Derby." The last time Yankee Stadium hosted the MLB All-Star Game was ’77; Shea Stadium has hosted the game only once, in ‘64.

WHO WAS THERE? Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner did not attend the press conference. General Partner Steve Swindal and COO Lonn Trost represented the team. President Randy Levine and GM Brian Cashman are among the Yankees execs in Asia this week.

DIRECTV: Selig declined to comment substantively about the furor surrounding baseball's pending exclusive deal with DirecTV for MLB's out-of-market TV package, calling that "a matter for another day.” But he added, "I really haven't heard that much criticism."