Philadelphia's All-Star Game draws fans from across the country
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After the final out of Tuesday night's MLB All-Star Game, Philadelphia gets its own mini All-Star break.
Why it matters: The Philly region can finally exhale after a whirlwind run that included the PGA Championship, six FIFA World Cup matches and a massive Fourth of July celebration.
- But there won't be much downtime: Philly hosts a UFC championship bout next month.
The big picture: Thousands of fans are flocking from all over to Citizens Bank Park for the Midsummer Classic, which kicks off at 8pm.
- Monday's Home Run Derby — a swat fest between Phillies teammates Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber — set the stage for Tuesday's All-Star Game, which Philly last hosted in 1996 at Veterans Stadium.
Catch up quick: Legendary announcer Michael Buffer introduced the competitors, setting the stage for what turned into a heavyweight title fight that came down to the final swing.
- The crowd was hoping for an all-Phillies final, but Harper — competing in his final Home Run Derby — had only one way to get there: Beat his teammate.
- Schwarber, baseball's current home run leader, launched 30 home runs over three rounds, including 11 in the finals.
- But St. Louis' Jordan Walker smashed in 12 homers, including six straight to capture the Home Run Derby — upending the storybook ending for the hometown crowd.
Driving the news: Ticket demand has soared on the secondary market as the All-Star Game returns to Philadelphia, giving fans a chance to pair a bucket-list baseball event with America's 250th birthday celebrations.
- StubHub tells Axios more out-of-state fans bought tickets to this year's All-Star Game on its platform than they did for last year's game.
What they're saying: Fans are "treating this as more than just another All-Star Game," StubHub's Jill Gonzalez says in a statement to Axios.
Zoom in: Fans from New York, New Jersey, California and Delaware account for the largest share of out-of-state buyers on StubHub. Pennsylvanians have scooped up more than 1,400 tickets on the platform.
- Anyone still hunting for a ticket will pay a hefty premium.
- Most resale tickets were listed between $800 and $4,200, while one seat behind home plate topped $12,000.
The intrigue: Citizens Bank Park is favorable for hitters, ranking seventh among MLB stadiums for most dingers covering the past five seasons, per a Casino.org analysis.
Hoping to catch an All-Star homer? Head to left field.
- Fans in Sections 143–145 have roughly a 20% chance of snagging one. Right field offers the next best odds — nearly 200 home runs have landed there over the last five years.
Yes, but: The cheapest left-field seats were going for more than $1,200.
The bottom line: For the lucky fans in the ballpark, watching America's pastime in America's birthplace during its 250th birthday is a rare triple play.