MLB returns to Atlanta for All-Star Game, but no apology for Georgians.
MLB Announces Return of All-Star Game to Atlanta in 2025
No Apology from Commissioner Rob Manfred
On Thursday afternoon, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred announced that the league will be moving its annual All-Star Game and accompanying All-Star Week back to Atlanta in 2025. What baseball fans didn’t hear from Manfred, however, was an apology.
In 2021, the MLB and Manfred moved the league’s All-Star operations from Atlanta to Denver, Colorado, following pressure from high-profile Democrats to pull out of Georgia in protest of state Republicans’ voting law, SB 202. Despite containing commonsense provisions such as voter ID requirements for absentee voting, SB 202’s passage prompted Democrats to launch an unhinged smear campaign against the law. This included baseless accusations that the statute would “suppress” non-white voters and harm “voting rights.”
The most egregious attack, however, came from President Joe Biden, who grossly labeled SB 202 as “Jim Crow on steroids” and called on the MLB to pull its All-Star events out of Georgia.
Manfred acquiesced to the president’s demands not long after. In his statement announcing the move, the commissioner regurgitated Democrat talking points by falsely claiming SB 202 created “restrictions to the ballot box” hindering citizens’ ability to vote. He also asserted the company’s decision represented “the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport.”
That same year, Manfred said bringing the league’s All-Star events back to Atlanta would “certainly be an option at some point in the future,” but that he would first “need to see” change before that could happen.
The MLB did not respond to The Federalist’s request for comment on what made Manfred change his mind about moving the league’s All-Star events back to Atlanta, even as SB 202 remains Georgia law.
But it wasn’t just Georgians’ faith in their state’s election system that was damaged by the MLB and Democrats’ vicious lies. The league’s decision to pull out of Atlanta also significantly harmed Georgia’s economy. Some business leaders estimated the MLB’s move cost the state “upwards of $100 million” in lost revenue.
Contrary to the MLB and Democrats’ slanderous claims the law would suppress Georgians’ ability to vote, the state saw record early voter turnout for the 2022 midterms and subsequent Senate runoff election. A poll conducted after the midterms also revealed that zero percent of black Georgia voters said they had a “poor” experience voting in the 2022 contest.
Furthermore, a Georgia district court judge struck down a Democrat-backed challenge to SB 202 last month. In denying the request that an injunction be placed on the law, Judge J.P. Boulee ruled that the Biden administration and Democrat plaintiffs were unable to provide any evidence showing that SB 202 discriminates against black voters.
The MLB did not respond to The Federalist’s request for comment on whether the league or Manfred will apologize for falsely claiming SB 202 would restrict Georgians’ ability to vote and for the economic harm the league’s decision caused the state of Georgia and its residents.
Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood
Should Commissioner Rob Manfred apologize for the MLB’s decision to pull out of Atlanta for the All-Star Game?
Nd high levels of voter participation overall. The idea that SB 202 was a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise minority voters was a baseless accusation that was used to justify the MLB’s decision to move the All-Star Game.
Now, with the announcement that the All-Star Game will be returning to Atlanta in 2025, the question remains: why no apology from Commissioner Rob Manfred?
It is disappointing that Manfred, who represents one of the most prestigious sports leagues in the world, has failed to take responsibility for the harm caused by the MLB’s decision to pull out of Atlanta. By not issuing an apology, Manfred is refusing to acknowledge the damage done to Georgia’s reputation and economy.
The impact of the MLB’s decision was not limited to the state’s image. Small businesses in Atlanta, which had been preparing for the influx of fans and revenue that the All-Star Game would bring, suffered significant financial losses. Estimates suggest that these businesses lost upwards of $100 million as a result of the MLB’s relocation.
The MLB’s unwillingness to apologize also sends a message that it is willing to succumb to political pressure and make decisions based on false narratives rather than facts. By accepting the false claims made by high-profile Democrats and labeling SB 202 as voter suppression, Manfred demonstrated a lack of critical thinking and due diligence.
Georgia’s election laws have been the subject of intense scrutiny and controversy. However, it is important to separate fact from fiction when discussing these laws. Contrary to the claims made by critics, the state’s election integrity reforms have actually led to increased voter turnout, not suppression.
The MLB’s decision to move the All-Star Game was not based on a thorough examination of the facts and was instead influenced by political pressure. This raises questions about the impartiality and integrity of the league.
An apology from Commissioner Rob Manfred would have been a step towards rebuilding trust and rectifying the damage caused by the MLB’s decision. It would have shown a willingness to admit mistakes and take responsibility for the consequences of those mistakes.
Unfortunately, it seems that the MLB and Manfred are more concerned with appeasing a certain political ideology than with the well-being of the sport and its fans. The absence of an apology is a missed opportunity to demonstrate integrity and accountability.
Moving forward, it is important for the MLB to prioritize the sport and its fans over political considerations. It should strive to make decisions based on facts and evidence rather than succumbing to pressure from partisan voices.
As the MLB prepares to return to Atlanta in 2025, one can only hope that it will learn from the mistakes of the past and conduct itself with the professionalism and fairness that fans deserve. An apology from Commissioner Rob Manfred would have been a meaningful step towards that goal, but unfortunately, it appears that the opportunity has been missed.
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