Major League Baseball is transferring the 2021 All-Star Game and the 2021 Atlanta draft in response to the controversial Georgia new voting law, the league announced Friday.
“I have decided that the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport is to relocate this year’s All-Star Game and MLB Draft,” said Commissioner Rob Manfred in a statement. “The Major League Baseball fundamentally supports the right to vote for all Americans and is opposed to restrictions on the ballot box.”
Discussions on how to move the game emerged after Georgia recently passed a new strict voting law, which critics say aims to deprive voters of color. Photo identification is required to vote by absent ballot, which more than 1.3 million Georgia voters did during the coronavirus pandemic.
The new law limited places for deposit boxes and the time voters have to request an absentee ballot. It also prohibits the distribution of food and water to voters less than 150 feet from a polling place or less than 25 feet from any voter in the queue, a particularly controversial provision, as there are often longer queues to vote in disproportionately Black districts. .
Manfred’s decision came two days after President Biden approved the transfer of the Atlanta game in an interview with ESPN.
“I think today’s professional athletes are acting incredibly responsible. I would support them strongly in this. People look at them. They are leaders,” said Biden. The president called Georgia’s new law “Jim Crow on steroids.”
However, some Democrats in Georgia have expressed disappointment at the change. The All-Star Game is one of the major events in the league and the city of Atlanta will be losing considerable financial gain. Previous cities saw up to $ 60 million in economic impulses, according to data from Baseball Almanac.
“Like many Georgians, I am disappointed that the MLB is changing its All-Star game; however, I commend the players, owners and commissioner of the league for speaking out. I urge others in leadership positions to do so too,” said Stacey Abrams, one of the state’s most prominent Democrats and a voting rights activist.
Senator Raphael Warnock called the measure “the unfortunate consequence” of passing the law.
Meanwhile, Georgia Republicans are not backing down. At a news conference on Saturday, Governor Brian Kemp condemned “culture cancellation” as the root of Manfred’s decision.
“Safe and accessible elections are worth the threats. They are worth both boycotts and lawsuits. I want to be clear – I will not give up on this fight,” said Kemp. “What are they going to do if the Braves make it to the playoffs? Are they going to change the damn playoff game? Are they going to move it to other states with more restrictions than we are?”
The move was also criticized by former President Trump, who in a statement asked his supporters to “boycott baseball and all companies that are interfering in free and fair elections”.
The league has not yet announced a new host city, but said the decision is in the process of being finalized. The All-Star Game is scheduled to take place on July 13 and will also pay tribute to baseball legend Hank Aaron.
Khristopher J. Brooks contributed to the report.