Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred announced Friday that neither the 2021 All-Star Game nor the 2021 draft would be held in Atlanta as scheduled due to the state of Georgia’s new laws restricting access to voting, ESPN reports.
“Over the last week, we have engaged in thoughtful conversations with Clubs, former and current players, the Players Association, and The Players Alliance, among others, to listen to their views,” Manfred said in a statement. “I have decided that the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport is by relocating this year’s All-Star Game and MLB Draft.”
The White House had called on MLB to make the move earlier this week.
Manfred said in a statement that MLB “fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box.”
Manfred said MLB would continue to celebrate the memory of Hank Aaron, who died in January, during the All-Star festivities.
Manfred did not announce a new site for the All-Star Game or draft.
