c/o wsj.com
Major League Baseball (MLB) announced their decision to remove this year’s All-Star Game and Draft from Atlanta on Apr. 2 in response to the passage of Senate Bill 202, a new Georgia voting law. The new legislation includes voting restrictions such as limiting the number of drop boxes used to collect ballots and prevents government officials to mail out absentee ballots automatically to citizens. Republican legislators passed and signed the bill into law in Mar. 2021. Critics from across the country pointed out that the law especially targets voters of color.
In his statement announcing the decision, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred highlighted the league’s support for voting rights for all Americans and argued that moving the game from Atlanta demonstrates MLB’s commitment to their values. Manfred also added that the decision was agreed upon by both the Players Association and the league. The league subsequently announced on Monday, Apr.5 that the game would be instead be played at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado.
MLB’s decision, however, was not solely motivated by the organization’s values. The league’s decision came after partner corporations such as Coca-Cola expressed their opposition to the law.
Other sports leagues have encountered similar situations. In 2016, the NBA All-Star Game was moved from Charlotte, North Carolina to New Orleans, Louisiana after North Carolina introduced legislation that required transgender people to use the bathroom that aligned with the sex on their birth certificate. However, given the MLB has been notoriously apolitical (at least compared to the NBA), the decision to relocate this summer’s All-Star Game from Atlanta came as a surprise to many.
In the aftermath of the decision being announced, several celebrities, including former President Barack Obama praised MLB for their decision to stand up for voting rights.
“There’s no better way for America’s pastime to honor the great Hank Aaron, who always led by example,” Obama tweeted.
There was also support for this decision from team executives across the league, with Miami Marlins owner Derek Jeter and Baltimore Orioles chairman John Angelos both releasing statements commending Manfred for the decision.
Not surprisingly, there was also considerable public backlash. The Atlanta Braves, who would have hosted the All-Star festivities, said in a statement that they were disappointed with the decision to move the game. Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, also came out against this decision and advocated boycotting the sport. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp also attacked the move.
Additionally, Kemp accused the league of placating Georgia voting rights activist and former gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams and President Joe Biden at the expense of the Georgia economy.
Abrams also announced her regret over the lost economic opportunity, but attributed the blame primarily to the GOP’s efforts to restrict the vote.
“Republicans who passed and defended Senate Bill 202 did so knowing the economic risks to our state,” Abrams tweeted. “They prioritized making it harder for people of color to vote over the economic well-being of all Americans…I am disappointed that the MLB is relocating the All-Star game; however, I commend the players, owners and League commissioner for speaking out.”
David Gottlieb can be reached at dgottlieb@wesleyan.edu.