All-Star festivities brought in more than 100,000 visitors to Cleveland and Northeast OhioGETTY IMAGES
Reviews are coming in on Cleveland's hosting of the MLB All-Star Game at Progressive Field, and "'raves' is the word that best describes those reviews," according to David Glasier of the Willoughby NEWS-HERALD. The All-Star festivities "brought in excess of 100,000 visitors to Cleveland and Northeast Ohio." Indians SS Francisco Lindor said, "The city has shown up big time. The event has been outstanding, very well organized and full of energy" (Willoughby NEWS-HERALD, 7/10). ESPN.com's David Schoenfield writes it was clear that the fans in Cleveland "enjoyed all the festivities with enthusiastic fervor." Everyone downtown and at Progressive Field was "adorned in Indians T-shirts and jerseys -- far more support for the hometown team" than at other recent All-Star Games. It was a "reminder that Clevelanders, even if attendance numbers are low in the regular season, still passionately support their team" (ESPN.com, 7/10). FS1's Nick Wright said Cleveland "did a great job." FS1's Cris Carter: "This is a three-day celebration of baseball in the middle of the summer in a great baseball town" ("First Things First," FS1, 7/10). In Cleveland, Terry Pluto notes out-of-town media "raved about the hospitality" during the event (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 7/10).
JOB WELL DONE: In Cleveland, Paul Hoynes notes MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred "complimented Cleveland as a host for the 90th All-Star Game." Manfred said, "Cleveland has been an absolutely phenomenal host. On Sunday, the Celebrity Softball Game was played as Cleveland vs. the World. The World won and there were about 26,000 people at the ballpark and they actually booed. To me that’s a great thing. ... It’s just one indication of the engagement we’ve had here." Baseball HOF President Tim Mead said, "Cleveland should be proud. This is the model for how you want to run an All-Star Game" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 7/10). MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince writes downtown Cleveland "dazzled all week." The All-Star Game itself, in front of a "loud crowd of 36,747," was a "nice and tidy exhibition with emotion and entertainment aplenty" (MLB.com, 7/10).
