The Cardinals sent over what has to be one of the longest press releases in the history of press releases last week.
I ran it through Microsoft Word and it clocked in at 5,270 words.
It’s Opening Day at Busch Stadium. You want the good stuff. You don’t have time for Infinite Jest. So let’s get right to the nuts and bolts.
BTW – much of the verbiage below is direct from the Cardinals. So if you notice fewer typos and a more professional tone, just assume it was cut and pasted from the press release.
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PRE-GAME:
12:45 – Gates open
2:30 – Pre-game festivities begin. Here are things planned:
- MLB Hall of Famers introduced via motorcade around track
- Busch Stadium 10th anniversary video (‘Tradition Meets Today’)
- STL Cardinals HOF members introduced (Shannon, Edmonds, Simmons)
- 2016 Cardinals motorcade
- Introduction of Cardinals and Brewers lineups
- Moment of silence for Joe Garagiola & Joe Strauss
- National Anthem: Clayton Matthews (opera singer, son of Cardinals employee)
- Fly over: 2 T-38 jet trainers
- First pitch: Lou Brock
3:15 – Game time
The Clydesdales were not mentioned. That doesn’t mean they won’t take a lap, but your guess is as good as mine if it happens.
PEP RALLY:
11:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
Join former Cardinals players, FOX Sports announcers and DJ Todd Thomas at the Ballpark Village parking lot, next to the Busch II Infield, for the Cardinals Opening Day Pep Rally. This event is free for all fans to attend and will proceed rain or shine. Fredbird and Team Fredbird will also be on hand to give away Opening Day tickets and other Cardinals & Ballpark Village prizes. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.
TV:
The game will be broadcast in STL on FOX Sports Midwest. Outside of the STL market, the game can be seen on MLB Network.
New for 2016, fans who are customers of a participating pay-TV provider will be able to stream FOX Sports Midwest’s Cardinals telecasts on the FOX Sports GO app. To stream games, users will need to verify their credentials by signing in with their pay-TV provider’s User ID and Password. There is no additional charge to use FOX Sports GO.
TRAFFIC/TRANSPORTATION:
MoDOT will have several lane closures on I-44 inside the city limits on Opening Day. The department will have one lane closed in each direction on I-44 between Jamieson and Kingshighway.
In addition, the department will have one lane closed on the ramp from eastbound I-44 to northbound I-55.
Outside of the city, one lane will be closed around the clock on northbound and southbound I-55 at Reavis Barracks Road. Fans heading to Opening Day activities should consider using I-70 or I-64 to get downtown, or allow themselves extra time to get through the work zones on I-44. Clark Street will be closed in between the stadium and Ballpark Village.
To avoid the traffic congestion and the cost of parking on game days, fans can use one of 21 free Park-Ride lots along the MetroLink line and take the train to Stadium Station, right across the street from the ballpark. The Stadium Station has been updated since the off season and the Spruce Street Bridge has been replaced. New stairs have been added to the south side of the station and the overpass will be open to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic with the exception of the south sidewalk, where construction will continue into the summer. Check the Metro website for schedules and the Park-Ride lot nearest you.
There are also 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 2½ hours before the game and runs approximately every 3-5 minutes. On Opening Day, the RedBird Express will start running at noon. MetroBus is another option for getting to downtown St. Louis on Monday. Fans can catch the #40 Broadway or #99 Downtown Trolley, which both have stops near Busch Stadium.
SECURITY:
The standard game-day bag inspection policies for Busch Stadium will be in effect. Bags must meet Major League Baseball’s standard size restriction (16” x 16” x 8”), 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.
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.
Expect long lines upon entry and allow yourself plenty of time to go through the inspection process.
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Hopefully you’ve got a ticket and will be enjoying St. Louis’ unofficial holiday in person. If not, at least you should be able to catch it on TV.
Happy Opening Day!
Photo: Missourinet
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