I thought I should go ahead and give you fans the media Press Release of the Cardinals Home Opener event guide. It should be fun. I won't be able to attend this year but I will be cheering on from my living room as I watch it once I get home. GO CARDS!!
Monday, April 8th marks the annual return of baseball to St. Louis as
the Cardinals take on the Cincinnati Reds in a 3:15 p.m. game. Opening Day 2013
will feature a pre-game ceremony that will pay tribute to Stan Musial.
Following is a schedule of official activities and information to help
baseball’s best fans enjoy what has become an unofficial holiday for Cardinal
Nation. Fans can join the social media conversation on Twitter with
#OpeningDaySTL and #6.
Opening Day
Ceremony
Opening Day marks the first time the
Cardinals family will be together at Busch Stadium for a game since the passing
of Stan Musial earlier this year. On Opening Day, and throughout the 2013
season, the Cardinals will honor the legacy of the team’s greatest player who
personified the Cardinal Way. The team is wearing a jersey patch throughout the
season and will host a full tribute to Musial on Friday, April 12th
when the team dedicates a plaque in his honor.
On Monday, Stan’s four children will
unveil an outfield wall marker as part of the Opening Day ceremony that begins
at 2:30 p.m. with the Budweiser Clydesdales.
The ceremony will feature all four of
the team’s Commissioner’s Trophies from each of those World Championship teams
(’67, ’82, ’06, and ’11), as well as the introduction of the Cardinals Hall of
Famers and 2013 Cardinals via a Ford motorcade.
Schedule
11:00 a.m. – 2 p.m. Cardinals
Official Opening Day Pre-Game Pep Rally, sponsored by Hardee’s: The Cardinals and Hardee’s will
host a pre-game pep rally in front of the Cardinals Team Store, located at the
corner of Clark Street and 8th Street. Local rock band Trixie Delight
will perform from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Fredbird and Team Fredbird will be on
hand to give away Opening Day tickets, autographed items and other Cardinals
prizes. Fans can stop by the free Hardee’s Photo Booth to get their Opening Day
photo taken from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Fans can also purchase a Hardee’s
Combo Meal after regular breakfast hours from the Mobile Diner or Hardee’s
restaurant on Chestnut and receive a free Cardinals t-shirt while supplies
last. Other sponsors include: Budweiser, Dunkin Donuts, Fox Theatre, FOX Sports
Midwest, Krispy Kreme, The Muny, Rawlings, Scotts, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and
The Tan Company.
1:15 p.m. Gates
open
Budweiser Magnet Schedule Day: All ticketed-fans, ages 21 and over,
will receive a magnet with the 2013 Cardinals schedule, compliments of Budweiser
Beer.
2:30 p.m.
Pre-game ceremonies
begin with an appearance by the famed Budweiser Clydesdales.
Introduction of Missouri Governor Jeremiah “Jay” Nixon, St. Louis County
Executive Charlie A. Dooley, and St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay
Introduction of Fredbird and Team Fredbird
Cardinals Hall-of-Famers will be introduced via a Ford Motorcade,
led around the warning track by the 2013 Ford Fusion. Each Cardinals Hall
of Famer will be riding in a 2014 Ford Mustang Convertible.
Tribute to Stan Musial: Stan and Lillian Musial’s four children, Dick
Musial, Gerry Ashley, Janet Schwarze, and Jean Edmonds will unveil a memorial
marker in left center field.
Introduction of the 2013 St. Louis Cardinals via Ford Motorcade. The
players will ride in 2013 Ford F-150 Raptors.
Introduction of the Cincinnati Reds and the starting lineups
American Bald Eagle introduced, courtesy of the World Bird Sanctuary of St.
Louis
Color Guard and American Flag in Center Field, courtesy of Scott Air Force
Base
The National
Anthem will be performed by six members of the Gateway Harmonica Club of
St. Louis. Stan Musial was an honorary member of the club.
A moment of silence
for the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown,
Connecticut, as well as a moment of silence for baseball great and St. Louis
native Earl Weaver, former Cardinals Outfielder Chuck Diering,
longtime organist Ernie Hayes, longtime Redbird Roost attendant
Fanny Scholl, and the greatest Cardinal, Hall of Famer Stan
Musial.
Ceremonial First Pitch by former Cardinal closer Jason
Isringhausen and former Cardinal center fielder Jim Edmonds, who are
both new members of the Fox Sports Midwest Cardinals pre and post-game
broadcast team.
3:15 p.m. Game
Time
Watching on TV
Fans can watch the game and pre-game
ceremony in High Definition on FOX Sports Midwest.
Radio Coverage
Fans can tune into KMOX (1120
AM) or one of the 124 stations in the Cardinals Radio Network to hear
Mike Shannon and John Rooney call the game. The expanded pre-game show
starts at 1:40 p.m.
Online or On the
Go
Fans may also follow the game for
free on cardinals.com using the Gameday application, or via the team’s Twitter
account, @Cardinals. From mobile devices, fans can keep tabs on the score using
MLB’s mobile app, At Bat 13.
Getting to the
Game
Fans will notice a few changes around
the ballpark as a result of the Ballpark Village construction. The biggest
change for motorists is that 8th Street is now a two-way street
between Clark and Market with two north and southbound lanes.
Temporary stop signs are currently in
place at the intersections of 8th and Clark, as well as
8th and Walnut, until new traffic signals are installed later this
spring. Walnut is now also a two-way street between 8th and
Broadway, with one westbound lane and two eastbound lanes.
Pedestrian traffic into the ballpark
has also changed due to the construction of Ballpark Village. The biggest
improvement fans will notice is that the pedestrian bridge from Stadium West
Parking garage has been removed and the intersection of Clark and 8th Street has
been redesigned with a much larger sidewalk in front the plaza of champions the
skirts the Cardinals Team Store.
Clark Street is also being improved
and will be open to pedestrian traffic on Opening Day. The Cardinals Opening
Day Rally will be at the corner 8th and Clark.
Highways and Other Roadwork
MoDOT will
not have any scheduled lane closures on state highways inside the city limits
for Opening Day and Opening Weekend. The department does have several
construction projects around the city scheduled for 2013, including a bridge
replacement at Jefferson over I-64 that may have one lane closed on I-64 around
the clock in both directions for several months. MoDOT will make every effort to
have all available lanes open into and out of the city before and after Cardinal
home games. At this time, several I-64 and I-70 closures are planned for
weekends, but will not be scheduled during Cardinal home games.
Alternative
Transportation
MetroLink is a
convenient alternative to driving, allowing fans to avoid the cost of parking
and game day traffic. To avoid the traffic congestion and the cost of parking
on game day, fans can use one of 19 free Park-Ride lots along the MetroLink line
and take the train to Stadium Station, right across the street from the
ballpark. Check the Metro website www.MetroSt.Louis.org for
schedules and the Park-Ride lot nearest you. There are also plenty of buses in
Missouri and Illinois that will get fans to Busch Stadium including the RedBird
Express that departs from the Water Tower at St. Clair Square in Fairview
Heights, Illinois. The first RedBird Express leaves 2 ½ hours before the game
and runs approximately every 5 minutes. On opening day, the RedBird Express will
start running at Noon.
Ballpark Village
In February of this year, the St.
Louis Cardinals and the Cordish Companies broke ground on Ballpark Village – a
mixed-use development on 10-acres adjacent to Busch Stadium. The first phase of
Ballpark Village will be completed by Opening Day 2014.
The first phase will include over
100,000 square feet of retail and entertainment space including Cardinals
Nation, the Budweiser Brew House, PBR St. Louis: A
Cowboy Bar and the Live! At Ballpark Village marketplace.
Cardinals
Nation will be a
first-of-its-kind venue in baseball totaling over 30,000 square feet on three
levels. It will include a two story restaurant, a retail store, a Cardinals
Hall of Fame and Museum, a special events space, and a 300-plus seat rooftop
deck with views into Busch Stadium. A second building will house a 20,000 square
foot, three-story Budweiser Brew House with a festive rooftop
party deck also offering views into Busch Stadium. The two signature structures
will be joined by the Live! At Ballpark Village marketplace, an
indoor marketplace with a retractable roof covering the event space, designed to
be a vibrant gathering space throughout the year for thousands of visitors.
The $100 million first phase
also includes all of the streets, parking and site infrastructure to support the
future phases of the seven-block mixed-use project, allowing the city to attract
future development with pad-ready sites. The project is expected to have a
positive impact on the local economy with nearly a thousand construction jobs
and nearly 500 permanent jobs expected to be created as part of the initial
phase alone.
Ballpark
Improvements
As the Cardinals begin their eighth
season of play in Busch Stadium, the team has made a number of improvements to
the stadium during the off-season, including sowing the seeds of another
successful season with the installation of new sod. During the fall, the
Cardinals installed over 100,000 square feet of new sod. The sod, which was
grown in Fort Morgan, Colorado, is a four way blend of Kentucky Bluegrass set in
a 10 inch root zone that is 85% sand, 10% peat, and 5% Zeopro mixture.
In addition to the new playing
surface and the improved, expanded sidewalk outside the Cardinals Team Store and
plaza of champions at 8th and Clark, fans will notice an improved
front façade thanks to the installation of new windows on the second level on
the Northwestern section of the Stadium. The new windows run the length of the
Budweiser Bowtie bar as well as Group Sales Corner above the Team Store and
along the Group Sales Hallway above the ticket windows on 8th
Street.
The Cardinals have installed new
flooring in several areas of the ballpark and have added 150 energy efficient
LED HD TV throughout the stadium. The team has also upgraded the outdoor
furniture in several all-inclusive areas, upgraded several party suites, added
fresh coats of paint and made a number of smaller improvements throughout the
park.
New Menu for 2013
Delaware North Companies
Sportservice, the St. Louis Cardinals’ concessionaire for more than 50 years, is
preparing to welcome fans back to the Stadium with a starting lineup of food to
please every fan’s unique taste.
New at Section 135 is The Double Play
Tap and Grill, where traditional ballpark fare gets a high-end makeover. Fans
can enjoy a thick and juicy cheddar stuffed burger on a pretzel bun, or a
customizable four-hand nacho platter, and choose fresh toppings for both to suit
their unique tastes.
Likewise, fans will find new
additions throughout the park. Look for Kohn's Kosher Cart, featuring knockwurst
and pastrami sandwiches at Section 147. Dizzy’s Diner locations (Sections 139,
161 and 446) have also been beefed up with the addition of The Horseshoe, an
open-faced burger consisting of two beef patties topped with fries and cheese
sauce. Other new additions include Bavarian Pretzel Sticks, at Sections 139,
161, 271 and 446, and Fried Pickle Spears, at Sections 271 and 509.
New Retail for
2013
From Opening Day apparel to
personalized gifts, the Team Store has what fans need to look their game-day
best no matter their unique style. Adding to the Team Store’s most
exclusive selection of limited-edition Opening Day apparel and accessories, new
this year is the Cardinals’ retro-style alternate jersey, worn during Saturday
home games. This ivory and red jersey proudly features “St. Louis” across the
chest instead of the traditional “Cardinals” insignia.
The Team Store also will feature
Opening Day baseballs, t-shirts and lapel pins, exclusive to the Stadium, in
addition to the new batting practice cap by New Era. The Team Store also is
carrying the exclusive Victoria’s Secret PINK line, perfect for the stylish yet
casual Cardinals fan. Fans who want to make a statement — about their fashion
and their favorite team — can now do so with new Alex and Ani bangle sets. The
bracelets, which come in brushed Russian gold or silver, can be customized with
a variety of charms and stacked to create a unique combination.
Aside from the Cardinals games, Busch
Stadium also hosts several weddings each year along with hundreds of special
parties and celebrations. Fans can commemorate their special day with
personalized memorabilia, such as wedding invitations, hand-etched wine glasses,
personalized baseballs, and custom Mega Tickets, enlarged to 500 percent the
size of a regular ticket, to celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, and
retirements.
As in years past, the Team Store
offers dozens of $15 and under souvenirs, including baseballs, mini-bats,
koozies, magnets, baseball cards, jewelry, posters, postcards, key chains,
lanyards, pennants, pins — and the No. 1 seller — foam fingers, and
claws.
And, even while the construction
progresses around Ballpark Village, the Team Store is ready to help fans get
prepared for Opening Day. The store is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a
week, and offers free, 15-minute parking on the curb next to the store entrance
at Clark and 8th Street, between Gates 3 and 4. Sportservice also operates
nearly 20 retail kiosks throughout the ballpark, as well as three other licensed
stores around the stadium, including:
· Fans Nest at Broadway (including the
Jersey Lettering Booth) – Main Concourse near Gate 1
· Fans Nest at Home Plate – Level 4
behind Section 450
· Fans Nest at Riverview Corner – Level
4 behind Section 437
Fans will want to stop by the
Cardinals Authentics store in Ford Plaza (cardinals.com/authentics), the only
place to get official, game-used, limited edition and autographed Cardinals
memorabilia directly from the team. Fans can now order an engraved bat from
Louisville Slugger, the official bat of MLB.
Cardinals In the Community - Redbird
Rookies Celebrates 10 Years in 2013
Redbird Rookies, Cardinals Care’s
free baseball league for boys and girls who may not otherwise have a chance to
play baseball, turns 10 in 2013. In addition to providing all the uniforms,
gloves, bats, balls, and other equipment needed for each team in over 20 leagues
in Missouri and Illinois, Redbird Rookies also provides extensive off-field
support in the areas of health, education, mentoring, and the cultural arts for
each of the nearly 4,500 kids who participate in the program each
year.
Cardinals Care was established to
give fans a way of teaming up with Cardinals players and the Cardinals
organization to help children in our community – both on and off the baseball
field. Since it was established in 1997, Cardinals Care has invested nearly $19
million in helping children, including providing nearly $11 million in grants to
over 800 non-profit youth organizations, and building 19 youth ball fields in
neighborhoods in both Missouri and Illinois. Cardinals Care is urging fans to
support their on-going efforts to help children a variety of ways:
· Go RED for Kids - Businesses,
schools and other organizations are being asked to rally behind the team and
Cardinals Care by participating in Cardinals RED for Kids. Cardinals RED for
Kids is the team’s version of an office “dress down” day in which participating
organizations make a donation to Cardinals Care in exchange for the opportunity
to sport their Cardinal colors around the office on Opening Day. To participate,
local businesses and organizations can visit cardinals.com/red.
· Cardinals
Care 6K
and One Mile Fun Run – Lace up your jogging shoes and join the team for the
4th annual run and walk on Sunday, August 18th. Learn more and sign
up at www.cardinals.com/6K.
Cardinals Magazine Releases
Season-Opening Issue, Digital Edition, and Collectible
Scorecard
Cardinals Magazine kicks off its 21st season
of publication with a star-studded cover story featuring three of the club’s
most dynamic centerfielders of recent history: Willie McGee, Jim Edmonds, and
Jon Jay. From spectacular catches to everyday responsibilities, this dynamic
trio shares secrets about the art of playing the position. Other issue
highlights include a Q&A with skipper Mike Matheny, an in-depth look at the
club’s highly regarded farm system, Adam Wainwright’s monthly journal, fresh
insight into the club’s spellbinding comeback in Game 5 of the NLDS last fall,
and the release of the first of six collectible Stan Musial posters.
Also available at the ballpark is the
popular 2013 Official Scorecard, which teaches fans how to score the “Cardinal
Way”—a storied tradition by club officials that dates back more than 50 seasons.
This year’s collectible scorecard features Fredbird sporting the new Cardinals
home alternate jersey that includes the Stan Musial No. 6 patch as well as the
Musial statue. The retro and contemporary hybrid design of the scorecard comes
from local artist Mike Right, who has been creating the timeless Cardinals
scorecard imagery since 2003.
During games, fans can purchase
Cardinals Magazine and the Official Scorecard together for just $5 at all
gates and at the Team Store. Outside the ballpark, fans can buy the magazine at
many St. Louis area retailers, including grocery stores, QT, Walgreens,
Wal-Mart, and Cardinals Clubhouse stores inside 6 local malls. To start a
subscription (7 issues for just $35), call 314.345.9303 or visit cardinals.com/publications.
–
more –
Finally, new for 2013 is the digital
edition of Cardinals Magazine which will be available for download on
iPhone, Android, PC, Mac, and iPad. One-year subscriptions are $25; individual
issues will be available for purchase for $5. The first issue is scheduled to be
released on April 15 through cardinals.com/publications. Stay tuned for additional
information.
BUSCH STADIUM – POLICY
REMINDERS
Bag Inspections
Policy
· The standard game-day bag inspection
policies for Busch Stadium will be in effect. Bags will be allowed that meet
Major League Baseball’s standard size restriction (16”x16”x8”), and all bags
will be inspected prior to entry.
· Fans will be permitted to bring small
personal cameras and will be subject to inspection. No professional-sized
photography equipment will be allowed except for members of the media with
proper MLB credentials.
· Non-alcoholic beverages
such as water and soda in open cups or in clear plastic bottles no larger than 2
liters are allowed.
· Alcohol, bottles, cans,
thermoses, hard-sided coolers; hard plastic cups/mugs are not
permitted.
· Small banners and signs
are allowed. Banners may be displayed as long as they do not hinder or
interfere with a ball in play or distract or interfere with the view of another
guest. Banners may not be displayed in fair territory, be obscene or in poor
taste, attract abuse or cause a disturbance among other guests. They should be
baseball-oriented and not commercial in nature.
· Please minimize items you bring into
the stadium to speed up the inspection process.
· Expect long lines upon entry and
allow yourself plenty of time to go through the inspection process.
Exit/Re-entry
Policy
Standard Exit/Re-entry Policies are
in effect. Guests wishing to leave
the stadium, but planning to return during the same game must have their hand
stamped at Gates 1, 2 or 4 as they exit the stadium. Guests must show ticket
upon re-entry. Inspection policy will also be enforced.
No Smoking Policy
Standard Busch Stadium Smoking Policy
is in effect. Busch Stadium is a smoke-free facility.
Exit/Re-Entry turnstiles will be set up at Gates 1, 2 and 4 to allow fans access
in and out of the stadium if they wish to smoke. Fans will get their hand
stamped as they exit the stadium. Guests must show ticket upon re-entry.
Inspection policy will also be enforced.
