Photo Credit: Atlanta Journal Constitution
Georgia has introduced a new voting law and already it has generated extreme controversy, even when it comes to one of the four major sports leagues.
In response to the law, which among other things, makes it no longer legal to distribute refreshments outside voting facilities (voters had to wait hours to put in ballots during the last election), and adds additional requirements for absentee ballots (a revision which people claim makes it harder for African-Americans, who make up the majority of absentee voters, to be able to put in ballots), major league baseball announced that the first-year player draft and MLB All-Star Game will be moved out of Atlanta, and the latter will now be played in Denver, Colorado.
Now, this decision has been met with both positive and negative responses, on the positive side, the MLB Players Alliance stated that they fully supported Commissioner Rob Manfred’s move, and Dave Roberts, manager of the reigning World Series champion, Los Angeles Dodgers, came out in support of the move, as well.
However, there have also been some negative responses, as Georgia Governor Brian Kemp claimed that the move would “hurt business owners of color,” and former Yankees pitcher David Wells said that he refused to watch baseball anymore afterwards.
But, taking all of this into account, I think that this is a big move by Major League Baseball because, if a law was passed that the majority of people felt would make it harder for African-Americans to vote (and a law that made it illegal to hand out refreshments at voting centers, which I personally think is ridiculous in itself), and MLB made such a brazen move like moving the All-Star Game out of Atlanta, I think it may force lawmakers of the future to think before they implement laws like this that may restrict people of color.
Therefore, I think this is a big move by MLB, but an important one, even if it has been claimed that the commish was “pressured” into making the move. Additionally, I think this is a huge move for the future of Major League Baseball and MLB fans, because the Players Association was a supporter of the moving of the All-Star Game, and, as I mentioned in my season preview, the MLB’s CBA (collective bargaining agreement) is set to expire at the end of the season, so, in my opinion, anything that Manfred and the owners can do to get on the players good sides is a big win for the future of baseball, especially after the tense negotiations between the two sides last year on the terms of the pandemic-shortened season.
I personally think, though, that the All-Star Game should’ve been moved to Los Angeles, since that’s where the festivities were supposed to be held last year before it was cancelled due to the pandemic. Fear not, however, Dodgers fans, because the All-Star Game will be held in California next year.
As for the MLB draft, it is yet unclear where that event will be held, but be on the lookout for updates.
