Opening Day Lures Employees to Baseball Fields
One in Seven Baseball Fans call in Sick with “Baseball Fever”

Philadelphia -- As Opening Day beckons, nearly one in seven baseball fans admit to having called in sick with a uniquely American disease known as “baseball fever” in order to attend a major league baseball game. According to a recent poll conducted by MRINetwork, one of the world’s largest search and recruitment organizations, 13 percent of the nearly 600 respondents across the nation took sick days to go to a game during working hours.

“Baseball is a national passion,” said Michael Jalbert, president of MRINetwork, “and many people consider it almost a right to cheer on their team at the home field. We suspect that the number of people who attend games during work time increases when the team is doing well and the sun is shining. With our passion for sports, it’s a good thing football is played on weekends, I suppose.”

Any advice on not getting caught if you’re planning on making it to Opening Day this year? “We’ve all heard stories about someone who tells their boss they’re having a root canal and then appearing on the Jumbotron for all the world to see,” said Jalbert. He offers a few (tongue-in-cheek) tips to avoid that embarrassing situation:

• Don’t purchase tickets along the baseline, which is prime seating for getting on the screen.
• Don’t overdo the dressing-up in home team colors or come with a painted face or chest.
• Don’t take adorable children with team logos on their sippy cups.
• Don’t wave a sign cleverly referencing the broadcasting station’s call letters – you might even risk making prime time.
• Don’t make a fool of yourself trying to catch a foul ball – no falling over seats, spilling your drink or snatching it away from an elderly person or a child.

About MRINetwork:
Management Recruiters International, Inc., branded as MRINetwork (www.mrinetwork.com), is a subsidiary of CDI (NYSE:CDI), a global provider of engineering & information technology outsourcing solutions and professional staffing (www.cdicorp.com). MRINetwork has nearly 1,000 offices in over 35 countries.

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