MLB considering All-Star Game bidding process for host cities

Commissioner Rob Manfred says baseball could adopt a Super Bowl-style bidding process to determine the host city of the All-Star Game.

Manfred said Friday he's considering a change to the current format that generally awards the game to alternating American and National League cities. That practice, which has been in place for 82 years, hasn't been strictly enforced. Cincinnati and San Diego, both NL cities, are hosting the next two All-Star Games.

Manfred mentioned the possible change during an interview with ESPN reporters who asked whether Chicago could be in line to host the game once renovations to Wrigley Field are complete.

"One of the things that I am going to try to do with All-Star Games is - and we'll make some announcements in the relatively short-term - I am looking to be in more of a competitive-bidding, Super Bowl-awarding-type mode, as opposed to (saying), 'You know, I think Chicago is a good idea,'" he said.

More from ESPN's Jayson Stark:

Manfred did not specify how that bidding would work. However, sources say that rather than choosing cities based on which league they're in, All-Star Game hosts will be chosen in the future based on the merits of the city and ballpark, and which team and city can produce the best "All-Star experience." But the process will be complicated, at least initially, by other factors.

"In getting all these ballparks built, we made a lot of promises to cities about getting All-Star Games," (Bud) Selig said at last month's owners meetings. So sources say MLB will honor those commitments, meaning that teams such as the Marlins and Nationals, with newer parks that have never hosted an All-Star Game, could jump ahead of more established franchises, such as the Orioles, Indians, Dodgers and Cubs, in the bidding process.

ESPN reports the bidding process could begin as early as 2017.