Take Me Out To The Ballgame: Arizona Diamondbacks representatives attended the closing reception of the Australia Tourism Summit at the Beverly Hills Hotel. L to R: Kirk Demeter, president Down Under Answers, Destination NSW’s Regional Director of The Americas Irene Morgan, Arizona Diamondbacks’ Pitching Coach Mike Harkey, and his wife Nikki, Arizona Diamondbacks’ senior vice president communications Josh Rawitch and Diamondbacks vice president special projects Graham Rossini.
Down Under Answers tours selling out historic games
The two-day Australia Tourism Summit closed at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Friday with a homerun: three representatives from the Arizona Diamondbacks were on hand to discuss the upcoming Opening Series of 2014 Major League Baseball hosted by Destination NSW at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on March 22-23, 2014.
Graham Rossini, vice president special projects, Josh Rawitch senior vice president communications and Mike Harkey, pitching coach and nine year MLB player were all in great form at the Australia Tourism Summit’s, part of the Tourism Australia’s G’day USA road show, closing-day reception. Rossini, Rawich and Harkey discussed details of the upcoming trip and their excitement about the games Down Under against rivals Los Angeles Dodgers.
Irene Morgan, regional director, The Americas, Destination NSW was on hand to introduce the gentlemen from Arizona who towered over the people in the crowd.
Rossini said that the Diamondbacks are very eager to take advantage of future events like this one in Sydney. The team says yes to participation in events no matter when they are scheduled to take place.
The Arizona Diamondbacks and the LA Dodgers will each play a practice match against Team Australia in the lead-up to the 2014 MLB season opening games to be played at the SCG in March.
The Opening Series marks the beginning of the Major League Baseball season, and has only been played outside the United States six times, including four Series in Japan, one in Mexico and one in Puerto Rico. The SCG will be hosting the Opening Series 100 years after it hosted an exhibition game between the Chicago White Sox and the New York Giants in 1914. The SCG will be transformed into a Major League Baseball field for the two baseball games, with the construction of an infield clay area, pitcher’s mound, dugouts and additional grandstand.
Kirk Demeter, president Down Under Answers, was present at the reception to assure the Diamondbacks that travel industry interest in the opening games in Sydney would be well attended. Demeter’s company specializes in Australia experiences and is offering a package for baseball fans to attend the Sydney event. But hurry: they have few remaining packages available. Sales of the tour packages have been brisk.
Packages start at $2,399 per person inclusive of return flights, hotel stay and game tickets, plus touring in Sydney. The Experience Sydney and the MLB Opening Series from Down Under Answers includes: Round-trip International airfare from Los Angeles to Sydney; Five nights’ accommodation at a Sydney hotel; Tickets to two inaugural baseball games in Sydney between the LA Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks; Half-day City Sights Tour with Harbour Cruise; Round-trip airport/hotel transfers in Sydney
This package is for March 18-25, 2014. Travel is valid for U.S. departures to Sydney, Australia between the dates March 1-19, 2014. It’s suggested to book by Feb. 7, 2014.
For more details and to book travel packages, visit Down Under Answers http://www.duatravel.com/vacations/vacation/ballpark. Or call 1-866-612-9111 to book.
For more information on the events, visit www.mlbsydney2014.com.
For more information on what to see and do in Sydney, and other great short-break destinations across New South Wales, around the event dates, visit www.sydney.com.
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