MLB awards the 2016 All-Star Game to the San Diego Padres

PARADISE VALLEY, AZ - Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig has awarded the 2016 All-Star Game to the San Diego Padres, Major League Baseball announced today at the conclusion of its quarterly owners meetings. The Padres will follow the Cincinnati Reds, who will stage Baseball's 86^th Midsummer Classic on Tuesday, July 14, 2015 at Great American Ball Park.

The 2016 All-Star Game will mark the third time ever that the Padres have hosted the event and the first for Petco Park, which opened in 2004. San Diego's Jack Murphy Stadium was the site of the 1978 and 1992 Midsummer Classics.

Major League Baseball has received a number of outstanding bids from National League Clubs whose ballparks have never hosted the All-Star Game. Due to the quality of these bids, it was determined that the 2016 site would be awarded to the Club that made the most competitive bid, regardless of league affiliation. The last time that the same League hosted the All-Star Game in two consecutive years was in 2006-2007, when Pittsburgh and San Francisco of the N.L. hosted the event, respectively. Since 2010, the designated hitter has been in effect for both sides, regardless of venue. 

Commissioner Selig said: "I am very pleased to award the 2016 All-Star Game to the San Diego Padres, who made a detailed and comprehensive bid in conjunction with city officials. San Diego is one of America's most beautiful cities, and showcasing Petco Park in its thriving downtown will be a remarkable opportunity for the Padres franchise and all of Major League Baseball."

Padres Executive Chairman Ron Fowler said: "The San Diego Padres are honored to host Major League Baseball's 2016 All-Star Game at Petco Park. Padres fans have been awaiting the return of the Midsummer Classic for more than two decades, and we are thrilled with today's news. We thank Commissioner Selig, Commissioner-Elect Rob Manfred and all of Major League Baseball for selecting 'America's Finest City.'"