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Major League Baseball is moving two marquee events out of Atlanta. MLB announced on Friday that it would be relocating the 2021 All-Star Game and MLB Draft out of Atlanta due to Georgia’s controversial voting law.
The new voting law criminalizes giving out food and water to voters who are waiting in line and limits mail-in voting.
Many of the law’s critics have called for the boycotting of events being held in Georgia due to the passing of the law that they say unfairly targets minorities.
MLB agreed.
MLB announced that it is moving the All-Star Game and Draft out of Atlanta. The statement from Rob Manfred … pic.twitter.com/eXfTHhPCDv
— Alden Gonzalez (@Alden_Gonzalez) April 2, 2021
“Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box,” a statement from commissioner Rob Manfred read. “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.”
Despite relocating the events, MLB will move forward with its planned investments to support local communities in Atlanta as part of the All-Star Legacy Projects and they will continue to celebrate the memory of Hank Aaron at this year’s All-Star festivities.
A new location will be announced in the coming days or weeks.
