Final day of online voting recorded more than 41 million votes alone

All-Star Teams and Final Vote Candidates to be announced Sunday at 2 p.m. EDT on TBS

Fan voting for the 17 elected starters in the 79th All-Star Game, to be played July 15 at Yankee Stadium, ended last night with the record-setting conclusion of the Monster 2008 All-Star Online Balloting Program on MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball.

With the majority of the individual races going down to the wire undetermined, fans cast their final votes online at unprecedented rates, including more than 41 million votes in the final 24 hours of online balloting on Wednesday. That mark is 57% higher than the previous single-day record of 26 million set on the final day of online balloting in 2005.

Overall during the online balloting program, 214.7 million votes from 16.5 million ballots were cast at MLB.com and the 30 individual club sites, despite having seven fewer days in the voting cycle than in 2007. These record figures each represent increases of nearly 40% over the previous marks for total votes and ballots cast.

The 2008 American and National League All-Star Teams will be unveiled on Sunday, July 6 on the 2008 MLB All-Star Game Selection Show presented by Chevy, which will be televised nationally on TBS at 2 p.m. (EDT). MLB.com will provide the most comprehensive coverage of the All-Star Teams, including video and details of every player, immediately following the announcements.

Also after the conclusion of the show, fans will once again select the final player for each League’s 32-man roster via the Monster All-Star Final Vote exclusively online at MLB.com. Fans will also be able to cast votes via their mobile devices.

The Monster 2008 All-Star Final Vote will provide fans the opportunity to cast their votes from two lists of five players, one from each League, over a four-day period. National League All-Star manager Clint Hurdle of the Colorado Rockies and American League All-Star manager Terry Francona of the Boston Red Sox each will designate five players who will be the candidates for the Monster 2008 All-Star Final Vote. Balloting will continue until 5 p.m. (EDT) on Thursday, July 10. The winners will be announced exclusively on MLB.com shortly after the balloting closes.

“We’re excited to be once again sponsoring All-Star fan balloting programs on MLB.com — it’s a great opportunity to reach a wide range of people who are highly engaged and inspired,” said Joan Blackwood, Chief Marketing Officer, Monster. “Monster’s mission is to help people to align themselves with their true passions, and the All-Star Game is a natural fit for our brand as it’s a celebration of those whose passion and dedication have taken them to the top.”

Source: MLB.com