Major League Baseball moves the 2021 All-Star Game and the 2021 Draft out of Atlanta in response to Georgia’s controversy 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,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “Major League Baseball fundamentally supports the voting rights of all Americans and opposes restrictions at the polls.”
The All-Star Game is one of the major events in the league and the city of Atlanta will lose with a considerable economic gain. Past cities have experienced up to $ 60 million in economic boosts, according to data from the Baseball Almanac.
Discussions about the movement of the game emerged after Georgia recently passed strict new voting laws, which critics say are designed to deprive black voters of their rights. The new law requires a photo ID to vote by absentee voting, which was used by more than 1.3 million Georgia voters during the coronavirus pandemic. It also limited placements for dropbox placements and limited the time voters have to request an absentee ballot.
The league has not yet announced a new host city, but said the decision is coming to an end. The All-Star Game is scheduled to take place on July 13 and will still be a tribute to baseball legend Hank Aaron.
Khristopher J. Brooks contributed to the reports.