MLB Honored By U.S. Dept. Of Homeland Security For All-Star Game, Home Run Derby

The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security awarded MLB its "Developmental Testing and Evaluation Designation" for the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby in K.C., which provided the league with liability protections for the security review and oversight work during the events. MLB worked closely with the DHS' SAFETY Act office, providing information on the lengthy security preparations and planning it conducted with the Royals, the K.C. Police Department, and other law enforcement partners. MLB has helped establish specific liability protections for itself as well as its partners, and will be using the All-Star Game approval as a springboard for potential future SAFETY Act applications that will help protect the league and individual clubs in the future. The current SAFETY Act "Designation" expires on July 31, 2014. DHS Chief of Media Relations, Science & Technology Directorate John Verrico in an e-mail said that no particular technology or security vendor was evaluated, but rather the league's overall assessment criteria and reporting processes and procedures. Brian Finch, partner at DC-based Dickstein Shapiro, helped secure the award on behalf of MLB (David Broughton, SportsBusiness Journal).

HANDING OUT GRADES: In K.C., Hendricks & Montgomery grade the city’s efforts in hosting the All-Star Game, writing, “We’ve sized up the challenges, assessed performances and today we’re handing out grades” (K.C. STAR, 7/11).