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THE 2017 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ALL-STAR GAME COMES TO MARLINS PARK, BRINGING WITH IT A WEEK OF MIAMI-STYLE FUN.
The 2017 Major League Baseball All-star Game comes to Marlins Park, bringing with it a week of Miami-style fun.
When the world’s best baseball players roll into town for the MLB All-star Game on July 11, the celebration will be one that only Miami can provide. For an inside look at all of the fun in the sun, Ocean Drive talked to Marla Miller, MLB senior vice president for special events, to give us the play-by-play.
What’s the best way for fans to meet their favorite players? From July 7 to 11, MLB All-star Fanfest provides fans with a great opportunity to meet and interact with some of their favorite current players and legends. The five-day event will transform the Miami Beach Convention Center into a baseball theme park that captures the thrills and excitement of MLB for all ages. What makes the Miami All-star weekend different from All-star weekends in other cities? While this will be the 88th Major League Baseball All-star Game, it is the first held in Miami, making it that much more exciting for MLB and local fans. All-star Week will feature the first-ever Electric Run MLB All-star 5K, presented by Nike, on July 8, and the first-ever MLB All-star Zumba, on July 9. These will be fun fan events with a Miami flavor for the entire family. And for only the second year, we will host Play Ball Park (at Bayfront Park from July 6 to 11), a free outdoor space for fun and
educational youth activities like special clinics with former Major Leaguers, future stars of the game playing in the Sirius XM All-star Futures Game, and members from USA Baseball and USA Softball.
Everyone loves the Home Run Derby. How will Marlins Park stack up to past Derby venues?
The T-mobile Home Run Derby is always a favorite, and Marlins Park will be great for this spectacle. A memorable venue for the Derby provides interesting landmarks that the hitters have the potential to hit home runs near, around, on, or into. With Marlins Park, there are plenty of locations: There is the home run sculpture in center field, the pool at the Clevelander, and the fan area in left field that will be major targets. With hometown hero Giancarlo Stanton as the reigning champion, fans in Miami are likely to have a Marlins star to root for in defending his crown.
What does the game coming to Miami do for the city?
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the All-star Legacy Initiative, which, in partnership with the Miami Marlins, will invest $5 million to support various projects in the Greater Miami area with particular focus on underprivileged youth, the physically impaired, and veterans. This is an important element of the All-star Game allowing MLB and the host club to give back to the local community and fund projects that will have a lasting impact on Greater Miami long after All-star Week is over.
There are numerous events surrounding the MLB All-star Game, including the Siriusxm All-star Futures Game and All-star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game on July 9, the T-mobile Home Run Derby on July 10, and the MLB All-star Game presented by Mastercard on July 11. For more information, visit allstargame.com.