MLB Poised for Big Hit with All-Star FanFest
Major League Baseball is looking to score a grand slam in attendance at this year’s DHL All-Star FanFest being staged on a grand scale at New York City’s Javits Convention Center starting today.
An MLB source said expectations are for 150,000 fans to attend the five-day event preceding the last All-Star Game that will ever take place at Yankee Stadium—eclipsing last year’s 125,000 attending the event. Adults will pay $30 and children 12 and under will pay $25 to peruse the exhibits, bid on baseball memorabilia, collect autographs and try their skills at a range of interactive activities.
Among the attractions expected to draw the most attention are the DHL Hometown Heroes exhibit, where fans can have their pictures taken with standups of New York Yankees players and a Bank of America Hall of Fame exhibit featuring 29 jerseys of legendary ballplayers, including the Yankee immortals Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth.
“It’s like a reunion,” said Tom Spencer, vice president and curator of the Cooperstown Hall of Fame.
Spencer said he hasn’t detected any fallout in recent years among fans disillusioned by baseball’s steroids scandal.
“I’ve never found a lack of interest at any time because fans care about the game so much,” he said.
Other prime exhibits include the Chevrolet Latino Legends Team, featuring photos of Hall of Famers Roberto Clemente, Juan Marichal, Rod Carew and contemporary Latino stars Fernando Valenzuela, Vladimir Guerrero and others. Tiffany sponsors an exhibit of the World Series Trophy, which fans will have a chance to hoist.
Attendees can also get autographs of legendary ballplayers, and contemporary Yankees and Mets stars. Former Yankees catcher Yogi Berra and current Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter will be on hand as this year’s spokesmen.
Fans can have Topps trading cards created of themselves in one area, and put themselves in a picture making a dramatic catch at an outfield fence, courtesy of Nymex and Nike.
For those who crave simulated action, there’s the Gillette FanFest batting cages, the Wilson fielding practice area, the Reebok Steal Home Challenge and the State Farm Home Run Derby. People can also test their batting skills against video versions of top pro pitchers and pitch against top MLB hitters.
The FanFest runs through the weekend and concludes on Tuesday before this year’s historic All-Star contest.
DHL spokesperson Michelle Nadeem said her company sponsors the FanFest because “we like to deliver the All-American pastime to fans’ homes.”
Attendees will have plenty of opportunity to bring baseball caps, jerseys and assorted gewgaws home from the Modell’s Clubhouse Store and a New Era combination exhibit and sales outlet of minor league ballcaps.
The vast Javits Center presents a 450,000-square foot area with more than 50 sponsors of exhibits and activities over 400,000 square feet of green carpet, illuminated by 1,200 lighting fixtures, powered by 15,000 amps of electricity running through 10,000 feet of cable.
