Atlanta has spent the past four days celebrating baseball during All-Star Week. These festivities were highly anticipated as it’s the city’s first time hosting the extravaganza since 2000.
But this was initially supposed to happen four years ago. The Braves were awarded the 2021 All-Star Game, MLB announced in July 2019, but the league later opted to strip Atlanta of the event in response to the state’s new voting law in April 2021.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the decision eight days after Gov. Brian Kemp signed the sweeping elections overhaul into law, a move then met with strong opposition from voting rights activists.
The All-Star Game was instead held at Coors Field in Colorado. It was obviously a disappointment for the Braves, who turned an uninspiring season around in the second half and won the World Series that fall.
While the laws in question hadn’t changed, MLB announced in November 2023 that Atlanta would get the All-Star Game again.
On Tuesday morning during a session with the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, Manfred was asked why MLB was comfortable returning to Atlanta after relocating the game four years ago.
Manfred avoided delving into politics, instead simply praising the market and host franchise.
“The reason to come back here is self-revealing,” he said. “Walk around here and see the level of interest, the level of excitement, the great facility, the support this market has given to the Atlanta Braves and baseball; that’s a really, really good reason to come back here.”
Manfred hasn’t addressed the political conversation in multiple opportunities since MLB relocated the 2021 exhibition.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution asked Manfred in July 2021 and July 2023 when Atlanta could possibly host the event and what, if any, state changes would be needed to do so. Manfred never elaborated on the political aspects but maintained Atlanta would be in the mix to host one of the coming games.
When MLB announced Atlanta would host this All-Star Game, Manfred had the following statement:
“I commend Terry McGuirk, Derek Schiller, the entire Braves organization and the Atlanta Sports Council for leading this effort. As a model of success on and off the field, the Braves deserve to host the All-Star Game. Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta will provide fans a world-class experience in 2025. We look forward to working with the Braves and local leaders to deliver a memorable All-Star Week that brings people together and benefits the community in many ways.”
This is Atlanta’s third time hosting the event after doing so in 1972 and 2000.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
