MLB Bringing Back Virtual Home Run Derby In Cleveland

MLB will "hold the second annual virtual home-run derby championship during All-Star Week" in Cleveland, according to Marc Bona of the Cleveland PLAIN DEALER. Fans attending Play Ball Park from July 5-7 will "have the chance to qualify by playing the Home Run Derby VR video-game experience" that features Progressive Field. Fans will "have 90 seconds to hit as many home runs as possible using a VR bat controller." All three hours of the championship round "will be streamed live via Twitch" and will "feature commentary from MLB Network’s Jackie Redmond." MLB held its first video-game competition as part of All-Star Week in DC last year with "more than 5,000 qualifiers." A live Twitch audience of "more than 120,500 concurrent viewers watched" last year (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 6/26).