Major League Baseball (MLB) has moved their 2021 All-Star game from Atlanta, Georgia to Denver, Colorado over Georgia’s new voting laws. The issue that MLB has with Georgia is that they think their new voting laws disproportionately affect black people. Colorado actually has more difficult voting laws than Georgia in many ways and Denver is less diverse than Atlanta. Atlanta is a majority-black city while Denver is around 70% white and less than 10% black. The irony of moving a potential $100,000,000 economic impact on a black city to a white city in order to help black people is truly mind-blowing.
To imply that black people cannot obtain proper identification is insulting. I.D. is required in multiple phases of everyday life. In order to receive a stimulus check, an I.D. is required because stimulus checks are tied to Federal taxes. I.D. is also required to accept government benefits, to open a bank account, to purchase and drive a vehicle, to buy alcohol and tobacco, to enter certain buildings such as nightclubs, and more. In Georgia, the I.D. required to vote is often free, as they are in other states. Major League Baseball (not the Atlanta Braves organization) appears to simply be grandstanding in this situation.
All sports, including Major League Baseball, find themselves in a precarious situation. On one hand, they want to provide an entertaining and quality product for their fanbase. On the other hand, they want to appease corporate and social interests to avoid negative press from mainstream media. Both of these goals cannot realistically exist in the same space. The end result just may be that both initiatives fail and MLB ends up suffering as a whole. With viewership down, fans already cancelling season tickets, and a general disinterest in off-the-field endeavors of sports, the prediction of suffering on MLB’s part may just become reality.
SOURCES:
Coors Field to host 2021 MLB All-Star Game, sources say
Atlanta losing the MLB All-Star Game is bad, but it’s the right choice – Talking Chop
MLB All-Star game reportedly moving to Denver after removal from Atlanta due to Georgia’s new voting laws – CBS News
Colorado voting laws are similar to Georgia’s despite decision to move Major League Baseball All-Star Game | Fox News
Comments are closed.