ATLANTA — Major League Baseball announced Friday that its All-Star game, which had been scheduled for Atlanta's Truist Park in July, will be moved out of Georgia.
The decision was a response to the state’s new voting law.
“I have decided that the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport is by relocating this year’s All-Star Game,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box.”
The push to move the game had gathered momentum after several large corporations condemned the voting law and President Joe Biden said he would “strongly support” relocating the event.
Manfred’s announcement ends several years of planning by the Atlanta Braves to host the All-Star game and related events. MLB formally awarded event to Atlanta during a May 2019 announcement ceremony at Truist Park (then named SunTrust Park).
Manfred said MLB is “finalizing a new host city” and will announce details “shortly.”
“We will continue with our plans to celebrate the memory of Hank Aaron during this season’s All-Star festivities.” Manfred said. “In addition, MLB’s planned investments to support local communities in Atlanta as part of our All-Star Legacy Projects will move forward.”
He said that over the past week MLB had “thoughtful conversations” about moving the game with its teams, current and former players, the MLB Players Association, the Players Alliance and others.
The game was to have capped a several-days-long series of events in and around Truist Park. In addition to the game matching National League stars vs. American League stars on July 13, All-Star events were scheduled to include the Futures game featuring top prospects, the Home Run Derby and a baseball fan festival called Play Ball Park.
Baseball’s amateur draft also had been scheduled for July 11-13 in Atlanta. That, too, will be moved elsewhere, Manfred said.
