Major League Baseball moved the 2021 All-Star Game and 2021 draft from Atlanta in response to controversial Georgia new voting law, the competition announced on Friday.
“I have decided the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport is to move this year’s All-Star Game and MLB Draft,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “Major League Baseball fundamentally supports the right to vote for all Americans and opposes restrictions on the ballot box.”
The All-Star Game is one of the most important events in the league and the city of Atlanta will lose significant financial gains. According to data from the Baseball Almanac, cities have seen as much as $ 60 million in economic stimulus in the past.
Discussions about moving the game surfaced after Georgia recently passed strict new voting laws, which critics say are intended to deprive voters of color. The new law requires photo ID to vote by absentee vote, which more than 1.3 million voters in Georgia used during the coronavirus pandemic. It also limits dropbox location locations and limits the time voters have to request an absentee ballot.
The league has not yet announced a new host city, but said the decision is currently being finalized. Scheduled for July 13, the All-Star Game will still pay tribute to baseball legend Hank Aaron.
Khristopher J. Brooks contributed to the reporting.