© Dale Zanine | 2020 Sep 30
In response to a new Georgia voting law that critics say unfairly limits access to the voting, especially for people of color, Major League Baseball announced on Friday they will be moving the upcoming All-Star Game and MLB Draft out of Atlanta.
Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. issued the following statement:
“Over the last week, we have engaged in thoughtful conversations with Clubs, former and current players, the Players Association, and The Players Alliance, among others, to listen to their views. I have decided that the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport is by relocating this year’s All-Star Game and MLB Draft.
“Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box. In 2020, MLB became the first professional sports league to join the non-partisan Civic Alliance to help build a future in which everyone participates in shaping the United States. We proudly used our platform to encourage baseball fans and communities throughout our country to perform their civic duty and actively participate in the voting process. Fair access to voting continues to have our game’s unwavering support.
“We will continue with our plans to celebrate the memory of Hank Aaron during this season’s All-Star festivities. In addition, MLB’s planned investments to support local communities in Atlanta as part of our All-Star Legacy Projects will move forward. We are finalizing a new host city and details about these events will be announced shortly.”
The law, approved by Georgia’s Republican-controlled legislature, would among other things, place new ID requirements on absentee voting by mail and prohibit handing out food and water to voters standing in line. Supporters of the law argue that it will be effective in stamping out voter fraud, something many Republicans believe took place during the 2020 presidential election. As of now, there remains no credible evidence that President Joe Biden’s victory in Georgia was influenced by illegal voting activity. Biden has called the law “Jim Crow on steroids.”
The MLB has yet to announce a new location for the All-Star Game or draft.