Phillies to bid for 2026 All-Star Game in Citizens Bank Park
Philadelphia has not hosted the All-Game since Ricky Bottalico represented the Phillies out of the bullpen
Riding off the wave of a successful NFL Draft on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway the city of Philadelphia has excelled on the national stage. Now a former politician is looking to keep the city in the national spotlight.
Ed Rendell, former Philadelphia mayor governor of Pennsylvania, and outspoken Philadelphia sports fan, is lobbying for another major event.
Rendell confirmed on 94.1 WIP that in honor of the 250th birthday of the United States the city of Philadelphia is pushing to host several major sporting events. Among those events are a Super Bowl and the All Star game for each of the four major sports.
While getting five premier events in one city within a 12 month period is unlikely, especially a Super Bowl in an open-air stadium. This grand plan being plotted by Rendell would bring the MLB All Star game to Citizens Bank Park for the first time.
Gov. Rendell on @SportsRadioWIP with us, says Philly is bidding to be official city of USA 250th + get Super Bowl and all AS games in 2026.
— Glen Macnow (@RealGlenMacnow) April 29, 2017
Veteran Stadium hosted the 1996 Mid-Sumer Classic, which featured just one Phillies player, Ricky Botallico. Citizens Bank Park would certainly be a beautiful venue to host the sport of baseball.
Combine a great park, a team on the rise in Philadelphia, the passion of the city, and the 250th anniversary of the country and you have a golden opportunity.
Hopefully, Rendell can pull off his efforts to bring an All-Star game or Super Bowl to Philadelphia after a great event such as the NFL Draft going without a hitch.