MLB to move All-Star Game out of Atlanta
State’s new restrictive voting law is the reason
ATLANTA — Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game, a high-profile event that had been scheduled for Truist Park in July, will be moved out of Georgia.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the decision Friday in response to the state’s new voting law.
“I have decided that the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport is by relocating (the event),” Manfred said. “Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box.”
The push to move the game had gathered momentum after several large corporations condemned the voting law and President Joe Biden said he would “strongly support” relocating the event.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, who last week signed the new law and two years ago participated in a ceremony awarding the All-Star game to Atlanta, blasted MLB’s decision to move the game.
“Major League Baseball caved to fear, political opportunism and liberal lies,” Kemp said in a statement. “Georgians — and all Americans — should fully understand what the MLB’s knee-jerk decision means: cancel culture and woke political activists are coming for every aspect of your life, sports included.”
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms predicted MLB’s decision is “likely the first of many dominoes to fall, until the unnecessary barriers put in place to restrict access to the ballot box are removed.”
Manfred’s announcement ended several years of planning by the Braves to host the All-Star Game and related activities. The Braves said Friday they were “deeply disappointed” by MLB’s action.
“This was neither our decision nor our recommendation, and we are saddened that fans will not be able to see
this event in our city,” the Braves said in a statement. “The Braves organization will continue to stress the importance of equal voting opportunities, and we had hoped our city could use this event as a platform to enhance the discussion. … Unfortunately, businesses, employees and fans in Georgia are the victims of this decision.”
MLB is now “finalizing a new host city” for the game, Manfred said.
“We will continue with our plans to celebrate the memory of Hank Aaron during this season’s All-Star festivities,” Manfred said in a statement. “In addition, MLB’s planned investments to support local communities in Atlanta as part of our All-Star Legacy Projects will move forward.”
He said that over the past week MLB officials have had “thoughtful conversations” with teams, current and former players, the MLB Players Association, the Players Alliance and others about moving the game.
“I am disappointed that the game was moved from Georgia,” said Democratic state Rep. Teri Anulewicz, who represents Smyrna and the Truist Park area in the Legislature. “At the same time, I absolutely understand the disgust and frustration with our leadership in Georgia that ultimately led to this decision.”
She had urged the All-Star Game to remain in Georgia and on Friday urged other events not to abandon the city.
Stacey Abrams, voting rights activist and former gubernatorial candidate, said she was “disappointed” in MLB’s decision to move the game but proud of its stance on voting rights. State Republicans, she said, “traded economic opportunity for suppression.” She urged events and productions to “come and speak out or stay and fight.”
The state’s new far-ranging election law includes a new ID requirement for mail-in votes, curbs the use of ballot drop boxes and gives the Republican-controlled Legislature more power over local elections officials. It also bans volunteers from handing out food and water to voters waiting in lines and expands weekend voting in some rural counties.
Kemp and other supporters say the overhaul will increase confidence in Georgia’s voting system after then-President Donald Trump falsely claimed he had won the election. Election officials, including Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, say there’s no evidence of widespread fraud and three separate recounts upheld the result. A spate of legal challenges by Trump supporters were tossed out of courts at every level.