Dodger Stadium has been confirmed as the site of the 2020 All-Star Game, but SunTrust Park and Wrigley Field could be options for future contests.
On Wednesday, Major League Baseball confirmed that the Los Angeles Dodgers and Dodger Stadium have been awarded the 2020 All-Star Game. That decision means that the contest will be played at MLB’s third-oldest ballpark, but the Dodgers have made considerable upgrades in recent years. It will also mark the first All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium since 1980.
Up until that announcement, there were some questions about whether the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field could land the game after years of ballpark renovations. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves and SunTrust Park (shown above) have appeared to be viable candidates since the ballpark opened last year.
In the case of the Braves, the team will continue to pursue a future All-Star Game for SunTrust Park. The club included the 2020 and 2021 All-Star Games in its bid, and MLB has not settled on a host for 2021 (The Atlanta-Journal Constitution has more on that situation).
As for the Cubs, the team will continue to focus on its ongoing renovation of Wrigley Field. The team continues to improve the fan and player aspects of the Friendly Confines, and indicates that it is committed to that process. More from The Chicago Tribune:
Major League Baseball’s decision announced Wednesday to award Dodger Stadium as the site of the 2020 All-Star Game hardly put a dent in the Cubs’ plans to bring the Midsummer Classic to Wrigley Field in the near future.
The team will continue its pursuit of being host for the game as upgrades and renovations continue to enhance Wrigley’s chances.
Currently the second-oldest ballpark in the majors, Wrigley Field has not hosted an All-Star Game since 1990. The last All-Star Game to be played in Chicago was in 2003, when it was hosted at the White Sox’s U.S. Cellular Field (now known as Guaranteed Rate Field).
The Braves last hosted the All-Star Game at Turner Field in 2000, while SunTrust Park is among the slate of active MLB ballparks that have not hosted an All-Star Game. Nationals Park will get its first turn at the contest in July, leaving SunTrust Park in a group that includes Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia Phillies), Yankee Stadium, and Tropicana Field (Tampa Bay Rays).
Given the Rays’ ongoing pursuit of a replacement for Tropicana Field, it seems unlikely that the team will receive an All-Star Game until it opens a new ballpark. That said, SunTrust Park, Yankee Stadium, and Citizens Bank Park should all be viable candidates, while the Texas Rangers’ upcoming Globe Life Field is on schedule to open in 2020, leaving MLB with a new ballpark to consider for a game at some point in the 2020’s. It also stands reason that other teams will pursue the All-Star Game for their ballparks, leaving MLB with no shortage of options going forward.
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