In a surprising move, the San Diego Padres and Petco Park have been awarded the 2016 All-Star Game by MLB officials, breaking the AL/NL rotation.
It had been rumored that the Baltimore Orioles would land the game, but a bit of politics may have emerged, with Washington Nationals leadership rumored to be opposing the bid. With Oriole Park slated for a 25th-anniversary lap in 2016 — an anniversary that would also heard the retro trend in MLB facilities — the Orioles had made a bid based on that milestone. Only two AL ballparks have never hosted the game: Tropicana Field and the new Yankee Stadium. But the opposition rose on the fact that the Orioles have hosted the game, while Nationals have not, Interestingly, there are a slew of National League ballparks never hosting an All-Star Game: Petco Park, Nationals Park, Marlins Park and, surprising, Citizens Bank Park.
The 2016 All-Star Game will mark the third time ever that the Padres have hosted the event and the first for Petco Park, which opened in 2004. San Diego’s Jack Murphy Stadium was the site of the 1978 and 1992 Midsummer Classics.
The last time that the same League hosted the All-Star Game in two consecutive years was in 2006-2007, when Pittsburgh and San Francisco of the N.L. hosted the event, respectively. Since 2010, the designated hitter has been in effect for both sides, regardless of venue.
Commissioner Selig said: “I am very pleased to award the 2016 All-Star Game to the San Diego Padres, who made a detailed and comprehensive bid in conjunction with city officials. San Diego is one of America’s most beautiful cities, and showcasing Petco Park in its thriving downtown will be a remarkable opportunity for the Padres franchise and all of Major League Baseball.”
Padres Executive Chairman Ron Fowler said: “The San Diego Padres are honored to host Major League Baseball’s 2016 All-Star Game at Petco Park. Padres fans have been awaiting the return of the Midsummer Classic for more than two decades, and we are thrilled with today’s news. We thank Commissioner Selig, Commissioner-Elect Rob Manfred and all of Major League Baseball for selecting ‘America’s Finest City.'”
The Cincinnati Reds are hosting the 2015 All-Star Game at Great American Ball Park.