Even if you follow only your home team or don’t care much about Major League Baseball, the games in Detroit and Kansas City deserve attention this week. After all, the sport still is called the national pastime and the World Series has been an American tradition since 1903 -- as much a sign of fall as pumpkins and Halloween candy.

In addition to presenting this year’s strongest teams, the series of up to seven games between the Tigers and Cardinals also is a showcase for the host cities, for businesses tossing swanky parties, for advertisers, for broadcasting technology and – yes – for newspapers presenting expanded coverage or special sections.

The sold-out games and influx of fans bring a bonanza for team owners and host city hotels, restaurants, bars, vendors and others. Detroit could pull in a $73-million boost to the local economy from the playoffs and World Series, a business group says. Series fever also spreads to sports talk shows, blogs and online ticket-selling sites.

Why is matters: “Over the last century, the World Series has been woven into the fabric of America's culture, evolving far beyond a mere baseball tournament. It has become the game of all games and has continued to provide us with an endless highlight reel of magical moments evoking childhood memories of agony and ecstasy.” – Baseball Almanac

Event’s name: “World Series” originally was adopted to highlight the fact that pro baseball was played only in the United States. It has survived, although other countries also have professional leagues now – but don’t compete for this so-called world championship. Defenders note that just about all of the world’s best players from the Pacific Rim, Latin America and the Caribbean are in Major League Baseball.

Bonus boost: “The Tigers' phenomenal victories this year are a big win for the region, not only in terms of having a baseball team for the community to rally around but also in the amount of increased economic activity generated in the local economy." -- Richard E. Blouse Jr., Detroit business leader