Overnight Nielsen television ratings showed that 20,657 Chicago White Sox fans, the exact average number of people attending the team’s games this year, watched the mid-season classic.
Ratings spiked to nearly 21,000 viewers after Sox rookie sensation Jose Abreu entered the game.
“We’re very pleased that our fans supported our All-Stars,” team General Manager Rick Hahn told the Chicago Tribune. “It proves they still love their White Sox ball club despite the fact that Adam Dunn, Gordon Beckham and Ronald Belisario remain with the team.”
One reason for the excellent fan support was due to a special All-Star game premium offer given to subscribers of cable television provider Comcast: any fan bringing an empty Pepsi can to a Comcast office paid just $1.00 for cable service on the day of the game.
