The Half-Century wait

MLB All-Star Game 2013 / MikeBritt00 - Flickr

The Half Century Wait It has been 49 years since the New York Mets have hosted the MLB All-Star Game. On July 16th the best players from both the National and American Leagues will face off in an action packed game. Seats are being sold, hotels are being booked, and this 2013 All-Star Game is definitely going to be a big financial boost to the city.

With people coming from all over the world just to see the 2013 All-Star Game, it is bound to generate a lot of money for the city. The last All-Star Game held in New York in 2008 generated 148.4 million dollars, the most money ever made from an All-Star. Seats closest to the All-Star action are priced at $5000. This year’s All-Star Game has been promoted so much that it may even surpass the money made from the 2008

All-Star Game the game that generated the most gross profit The Mets have waited nearly half a century to host another All-Star Game, and the players themselves are just as excited to show off Citi Field. “It's just a great park to come to every night, and I think what's going to be even better about it with the All-Star Game, is it's going to be packed,” said Mets left fielder Mike Baxter said in a MLB.com article. Knowing this, there is no question that New York is going to try and milk the cow.

With the amount of people coming in, hotels, restaurants, and even attractions are sure to benefit from this game as well. While these three may be big contributors, revenue will also come in from smaller MLB events during the All-Star week. The Home Run Derby, Celebrity Softball, and Taco Bell All Star Sunday are some of the events that will be featured along with the All-Star Game.

 With the All-Star game just around the corner, New York City is expecting a big economic boost. Its been 49 years since the the Mets hosted the All-Star game and this year they are doing it on an improved Citi Field. There is no question that this year’s All-Star game will be one to remember. “It’s what’s good for the game” said Mets Chairman Fred Wilpon in a MLB.com article.

The Astros move to the American League

At the start of the 2013 season the Houston Astros made their move from the National League Central division to the American League West. The move was a part of an agreement made two years ago when Jim Crane became the new owner of the club.  

Houston Astros logo version for team's caps / Commons

The move was a part of Commissioner Bud Selig’s desire to even out the teams in both leagues. The club was sold to Crane, who many have speculated, that it was set up by Selig. In the event that Crane wanted to buy the team, he would have to agree to move the club to the AL.

There was talk about changing a team from the National League to the American League in 2011, and the Astros were a strong candidate two years before the switch. Their move to the American League was to create a rivalry between the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers. The shift is a significant change in baseball, "It's a historical day, from opening day on," said Selig to USA Today.

The club moved from one of the arguably weaker divisions to one of the best, which left a question on many fans minds. How will they fare in the AL west? “Easy answer,” said Ken Rosenthal of Fox sports “They won’t.” Rosenthal criticized the club for its lack of direction, stating that the club “[is] caught between trying to rebuild and trying to remain competitive.”

There is doubt of their capabilities in the new position; the Astros will have to prove themselves in their new league and division. But their future in the same position doesn’t look promising as they stand as of April 17, 2013 with a record of four wins and ten loses.

Contributed by: Shawn Watts