MLB announces festivities for historic All-Star Summer
Source: MLB
Jun 5, 2008 - 3:49:48 PM
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2008 MLB All-Star Game in Yankee Stadium to host the largest gathering of baseball stars ever with more than 40 Hall of Famers joining stars of today; Major League Baseball All-Star Game Red Carpet Parade presented by Chevy on FOX launches star-studded evening
Major League Baseball announced today a historic series of activities for its All-Star Summer that will treat fans to a one-of-a-kind All-Star experience as New York City and Yankee Stadium host the Midsummer Classic in the final season of the baseball cathedral.
As a gesture to the majesty and history of Yankee Stadium, MLB will conduct a special pre-game on-field ceremony prior to the 79th MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday July 15th that will feature the largest gathering of baseball stars in history.
More than 40 Hall of Famers including Hank Aaron, Yogi Berra, Bob Feller, Whitey Ford, Willie Mays, Cal Ripken Jr., and Frank Robinson, are scheduled to be celebrated for their accomplishments in the most historic building in sports during its farewell season. The pre-game ceremony will begin at 8:00 p.m. (EDT) and will air live on FOX.
The Hall of Famers will also be honored at the All-Star Game Red Carpet Parade presented by Chevy, where they will join the American League and National League All-Stars in the longest parade ever hosted by MLB.
The Red Carpet, which will span more than 95,000 square feet, will start on 40th Street and Sixth Avenue and travel up Sixth Avenue to 58th Street and Sixth Avenue. The Parade will take place from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (EDT). MLB mascots will be on the red carpet, distributing gifts to fans who line the parade route. For the first time, the All-Star Game Red Carpet Parade presented by Chevy will air on FOX at 7:00 p.m. (EDT) as a lead-in to the national network broadcast of the 79th MLB All-Star Game at 8:00 p.m. (EDT) on FOX.
As part of All-Star Summer, MLB will be conducting the greenest event in its history by partnering with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to take a series of measures to limit the event's carbon emissions and be environmentally-friendly.
The green activities include:
Handing out reusable All-Star totes to fans in seven cities (Chicago, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington DC). Fans are encouraged to reuse the bags, which are made from 80% post-consumer recycled content.
Selling reusable All-Star totes through partnerships with retailers in Chicago, New York, St. Louis and Toronto.
Sponsoring an Eco-Play playground build, with 85% recycled materials, at Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club in the Bronx.
Providing fans with tips via MLB.com about how they can take steps in their own lives to be more environmentally-friendly.
Addressing energy usage through efficiency measures and by investing in renewable energy offsets.
Adopting "Green Teams" that will be at All-Star events collecting refuse for recycling, supplementing existing recycling programs.
Using bio-based products and recycled content materials at the events throughout All-Star Week.
MTA public bus transportation will shuttle fans in clean air hybrid buses to DHL All-Star FanFest at the Jacob K. Javits Center from Grand Central Station and Penn Station from Friday, July 11 - Tuesday, July 15.
In addition, All-Star Summer will pay tribute to New York City by incorporating major city landmarks into the event. MLB, in conjunction with licensee Forever Collectibles, will station a series of 42 MLB-decorated Statue of Liberty replicas standing eight and a half feet tall around the city. Each statue will be uniquely decorated with bold graphics featuring each of the 30 MLB Clubs, the Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Giants, American League, National League, four All-Star statues and statues commemorating the final season of Yankee and Shea Stadium.
In celebration of MLB All-Star Week, the Empire State Building will illuminate the New York City skyline in red, white and blue from Friday July 11th to Sunday, July 13th and on Tuesday, July 15th. An honor that is recognized by the world over, baseball was first recognized by the Tower lighting in 1977, when blue and white lights flashed to announce that the New York Yankees had won the World Series.
The 79th MLB All-Star Game and All-Star Summer are expected to be record breaking events for MLB. Ticket sales for DHL All-Star FanFest are pacing 70% ahead of last year's sales with expectations to reach the highest attendance figure in the event's history. Numerous MLB merchandising partners are forecasting best-ever All-Star sales.
The 79th MLB All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and Sportsnet HD and televised around the world by Major League Baseball International, with pre-game ceremonies beginning at 8:00 p.m. (EDT). ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio coverage that will also be available on XM Satellite Radio, while MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage. The 79th All-Star Game will be available via the MLB International world feed in 229 countries/territories and in 13 different languages.
About National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Located on Main Street in the heart of picturesque Cooperstown, New York, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (www.baseballhall.org) is one of the country's most popular destinations and is surely the best-known sports shrine in the world. Since opening its doors for the first time on June 12, 1939, the Hall of Fame has stood as the definitive repository of the game's treasures and as a symbol of the most profound individual honor bestowed on an athlete. It is every fan's "Field of Dreams" with stories, legends and magic to be passed on from generation to generation.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a non-profit educational institution dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the historical development of Baseball and its impact on our culture by collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting its collections for a global audience as well as honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to our National Pastime.
About Natural Resources Defense Council
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is a national, nonprofit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has 1.2 million members and online activists nationwide, served from offices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Beijing. For more information on how to green and event or organization, go to www.nrdc.org.
All-Star Game quotes:
Bob DuPuy, Major League Baseball, President and Chief Operating Officer
"By bringing together and honoring one of the largest collections of Hall of Famers ever gathered, we will be paying a special tribute to Yankee Stadium, the most historic venue in sports."
Frank Robinson, Hall of Fame 1982
"In speaking with my fellow Hall of Famers, we all recognize the significance of this All-Star Game and I am honored to be a part of Major League Baseball's celebration of its rich history at such an important place in Yankee Stadium."
Lonn A. Trost, New York Yankees, Chief Operating Officer
"The Steinbrenner family along with the entire New York Yankees organization is very excited to host the 79th All-Star Game in Yankee Stadium's final season. Playing host to the All-Star Game, for the fourth time, will add another exciting chapter to Yankee Stadium's grand mid-summer history and tradition, as this year's game will mark the first time the game has been played in the final season of the host team's ballpark."
Jane Forbes Clark, Chairman of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
"The 2008 All-Star Game will showcase one of the largest turnouts of Hall of Fame members - the game's living legends - ever. We are thankful to Major League Baseball for saluting the Hall of Fame and Baseball's greatest players on the grand stage of the All-Star Game in the final year of one of baseball's most glorious fields, Yankee Stadium."
Tim Brosnan, Major League Baseball, Executive Vice President, Business
"With the addition of the Hall of Famer pre-game ceremony and the All-Star Game Red Carpet Parade presented by Chevy, FOX will be expanding its All-Star coverage to capture every aspect of this historic All-Star Game for fans around the country."
Robert Redford, NRDC Trustee
"Our national pastime's commitment this year to becoming more sustainable marks a watershed in both the history of baseball and the environmental movement. No other sporting institution has influenced American culture as much as baseball and, by using the visibility of the All-Star Game to educate tens of millions of Americans about the need to address global warming and other environmental issues, Major League Baseball is putting that influence to very good use."
John McHale, Major League Baseball, Executive Vice President, Administration and Chief Information Officer
"Major League Baseball recognizes its civic responsibility to conduct environmentally-friendly practices and, with the guidance of the NRDC, All-Star Summer will be the grandest demonstration of our commitment to going green."
Eric Goldstein, Senior Attorney and Director of NRDC's NY Urban Program
"NRDC is proud to be collaborating with Commissioner Selig and the entire MLB family in their wise efforts to address the challenge we face from global warming, biodiversity loss and other ecological pressures. Using this wonderful All-Star Game event in one of the world's greatest cities to help publicize the League's evolving shift towards ecologically responsible procurement and operations is of enormous value to baseball fans in all countries throughout the world. NRDC applauds the Commissioner and his great team at MLB and we look forward to continuing our productive collaboration on greening baseball teams in the Major Leagues, as well as in colleges, high schools and little leagues throughout America."
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