Colorado Rockies: Coors Field “expected” to host the 2021 All-Star Game
Buster Olney of ESPN reported on Twitter that the Colorado Rockies are “expected” to be the new host for the 2021 MLB All-Star Game (and MLB Amateur Draft) in place of the Atlanta Braves in July.
MLB decided to move the All-Star Game and the Amateur Draft away from Truist Park, the new home of the Atlanta Braves, late last week in the wake of the state of Georgia’s new voting law.
Earlier tonight, we reported that Coors Field were among the favorites to host but the betting odds on Coors Field and the Rockies still were not the favorites, as the Milwaukee Brewers home, American Family Field, was the odds-on favorite.
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However, as we mentioned earlier, the Rockies could be the favorites (and MLB likely went with the Rockies) for a few reasons.
- The opening of McGregor Square for the 2021 season
- The Rockies haven’t hosted since 1998, which is the ninth-longest stretch among all teams
- Coors Field has the second-largest seating capacity of any stadium in the sport and only Dodger Stadium has more (but California has been more restrictive on capacity).
- Colorado and Denver has public and health officials that are willing to let the Rockies have a larger seating capacity for big events (e.g. Opening Day and the All-Star Game
- They can also honor Larry Walker, who will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as the first Colorado Rockies player ever to do so just a few weeks after the game.
If the Rockies do have this (and all signs are now pointing to that), it will be a big revenue booster for the Rockies as when the game was slated to be in Atlanta, it was being talked about a week that could net $100+ million for the Braves and the city of Atlanta and the surrounding areas.
We will have more on this story as it develops in the coming hours and days.