MLB Awards 2016 ASG To San Diego Over Baltimore
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- In previous years Major League Baseball's All-Star Game has alternated between American League and National League ballparks. This trend was set by Commissioner Bud Selig after 2006-07 and he insisted it would continue...until he changed his mind for 2016 when it will be held at San Diego's Petco Park. That would be the second straight year it will be in a NL Park. The 2015 game is set to be played at the Reds' Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
San Diego's Jack Murphy Stadium hosted the ASG most recently in 1992, the year Camden Yards was built, but it's never been played at Petco Park.
Rumor has it that the Washington Nationals could host the 2017 All-Star game. That would be three consecutive years in a National League park.
AP reports, "Bud Selig made the announcement Thursday at the conclusion of his final owners' meeting as baseball commissioner."
Here's where things get interesting.
Baltimore's Oriole Park at Camden Yards, which is consistently rated among the top stadium venues in the nation and ranked Best Stadium Experience of 2014 by Stadium Journey, was viewed as a top contender to host the 2016 games. It made perfect sense. They're an American League team with a great ballpark. The puzzle piece fit perfectly.
Then there was the MASN rights fees case between the Orioles and Nationals.
Back in 2012, the Nationals and Orioles appeared before MLB's Revenue Sharing Decisions Committee. The Orioles decided that their decision was impartial (for various reasons) and filed suit. Long story short, they ignored MLB's decision. I'm sure Bud didn't like that too much.
That brings us to this decision from the commissioner as he takes his final bow from his last owner's meetings. MASN's Roch Kubatko wrote "MLB won't admit that the MASN dispute factored into the Padres being awarded it in 2016, but feel free to travel down that road." Some view this as Selig flexing his muscles for one last time. Some wonder why he's making decisions about a league he won't even be a part of in 2016. Either way, it's raising suspicion from Baltimore fans who haven't seen an All-Star game since 1993.