MLB Pulls All-Star Game Out of Atlanta Due to Georgia Election Laws

Major League Baseball (MLB) has pulled the All-Star Game out of Atlanta because of their misinterpretation of new Georgia election laws.  Apparently, the Gods of Baseball never actually read the legislation signed by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.  Rather they believed the lies and disinformation campaign that Democrats and their media allies are carrying out.

One must assume that MLB made the decision in the belief that there would be benefits to the sport of baseball. Maybe even enough pressure to change the laws or gain more fans for the civic mindedness.  Of course, none of that is going to happen.

What is arguably more likely to happen is a loss of fans and television viewers. 

That is what happened to both national football and national basketball when they caved to the political left.  Baseball has played it smart – up until now – by staying out of the flag and National Anthem controversies.

The irony of the League’s action is that the only measurable consequence will be an enormous negative impact on the people and businesses of Atlanta. A minority majority city that will lose more than 100 million dollars in direct financial benefits.  All those Uber drivers, taxis, hotels, restaurants, and bars that have been reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic were looking for some relief from tens of thousands of baseball fans pouring into their neighborhood around Battery and Truist Park.

This year’s game was to highlight the career of Atlanta Brave’s legend Hank Aaron.  MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred says that will still take place wherever the All-Star Game lands. But it will now be a huge disappointment for the Aaron fans in his hometown.

The State and Atlanta governments will lose a lot of tax money. More than they have already lost in the early preparation phase.

Manfred did get some “atta boy” emails from such celebrity sports stars as Magic Johnson and LeBron James. They also may have been deceived by the lies swirling around the new law.  We will have to see how that balances with the manifest anger of a lot of baseball fans – or should I say former fans.

Perhaps Manfred & Company were following President Biden’s call for the League to abandon Atlanta.  Maybe they should have taken notice that Biden got four Pinocchio’s by the Washington Post – the lowest rating reserved for unmitigated lies – for his outright prevarications about the Georgia election law.

Sports have long been an entertainment – an escape from the grind and conflicts of the day.  Our stadiums were places where citizens of all backgrounds and opinions could shelve their differences and engage in friendly banter over the relative merits of one team or another.  The players and the owners have let that all slip away.  There seems to be less and less common ground where politically driven animosities can be checked at the door in favor of civic comity – and a unified respect for America.

The MLB has just removed another place of refuge from the passion of politics.

So, there ‘tis.