MLB commissioner Bud Selig: Baltimore is prime candidate to host 2016 All-Star Game
At a press conference at Camden Yards in advance of Major League Baseball's owners meetings to be held Wednesday and Thursday in Baltimore, MLB commissioner Bud Selig said Baltimore remains a strong candidate to host the 2016 All-Star Game.
Previously, Baltimore hosted the game in 1958 at Memorial Stadium and 1993 at Camden Yards. The 2016 season will be the Orioles' 25th at Oriole Park.
"Baltimore certainly is a prime candidate," Selig said.
He was also asked about Washington as a possible host for that game.
"They are also a very viable candidate. I try to alternate leagues, although some say I emphasize that too much, but I don't think so," Selig said. "But certainly Baltimore is a prime candidate and so is Washington."
Is it possible to have one in Baltimore one year, and one in Washington the next?
"Nothing in the constitution that would forbid that," he said. "No, it would be fine."
Selig is retiring in January 2015 and MLB owners are expected to vote on his successor on Thursday in Baltimore.
The three finalists are MLB chief operating officer Rob Manfred, executive vice president for business Tim Brosnan and Boston Red Sox chairman Tom Werner.
Here is what Selig said on some other topics:
On the 1994 strike: "That whole period was painful, you bet. We had seven work stoppages before that. This was the eighth. This was coming, no question.
"In an interesting way, as tough as that was, it has led to 21, 22 years of labor peace. No one even thought that possible. But it has led to record revenues, record attendance, record everything. So, labor peace has been very important."
Will there be major changes in replay?: "I don't think major, but there need to be some tweaks and they'll do that."
On local and national TV ratings: "Local ratings are terrific. Given the division races and wild card races, that should continue to the end. Everybody has a theory on the national ratings. Believe me, if I had the answer I'd give it to you. But I know that the interest in the sport is at an all-time high. Local ratings are spectacular. In a lot of markets, it's the No. 1 rated program this summer. You can't do any better than that."
On competitive balance in the sport: "The things we set out to do in the '90s, that was the objective. When you look at all the evolution of the economic changes, think about that, and they've led now to really wonderful competitive balance. Better than baseball has ever had before.
"I have always regarded my job, one of the things is to provide hope and faith in as many places as possible. And we've done that. I look this morning and the Kansas City Royals are in first place. And we have all the division races and wild card races shaping up very well. That is what we set out to do and baseball is better off as a result of it."
Upon his retirement, Selig said he plans to teach at two or three universities and he plans to write a book.
He was also asked about Washington as a possible host for that game.
"They are also a very viable candidate. I try to alternate leagues, although some say I emphasize that too much, but I don't think so," Selig said. "But certainly Baltimore is a prime candidate and so is Washington."
Is it possible to have one in Baltimore one year, and one in Washington the next?
"Nothing in the constitution that would forbid that," he said. "No, it would be fine."
Selig is retiring in January 2015 and MLB owners are expected to vote on his successor on Thursday in Baltimore.
The three finalists are MLB chief operating officer Rob Manfred, executive vice president for business Tim Brosnan and Boston Red Sox chairman Tom Werner.
Here is what Selig said on some other topics:
On the 1994 strike: "That whole period was painful, you bet. We had seven work stoppages before that. This was the eighth. This was coming, no question.
"In an interesting way, as tough as that was, it has led to 21, 22 years of labor peace. No one even thought that possible. But it has led to record revenues, record attendance, record everything. So, labor peace has been very important."
Will there be major changes in replay?: "I don't think major, but there need to be some tweaks and they'll do that."
On local and national TV ratings: "Local ratings are terrific. Given the division races and wild card races, that should continue to the end. Everybody has a theory on the national ratings. Believe me, if I had the answer I'd give it to you. But I know that the interest in the sport is at an all-time high. Local ratings are spectacular. In a lot of markets, it's the No. 1 rated program this summer. You can't do any better than that."
On competitive balance in the sport: "The things we set out to do in the '90s, that was the objective. When you look at all the evolution of the economic changes, think about that, and they've led now to really wonderful competitive balance. Better than baseball has ever had before.
"I have always regarded my job, one of the things is to provide hope and faith in as many places as possible. And we've done that. I look this morning and the Kansas City Royals are in first place. And we have all the division races and wild card races shaping up very well. That is what we set out to do and baseball is better off as a result of it."
Upon his retirement, Selig said he plans to teach at two or three universities and he plans to write a book.
LATEST ORIOLES NEWS
LATEST NATIONALS NEWS
About the author
By accepting you will be accessing a service provided by a third-party external to https://www.masnsports.com/