The race is on to see which professional sports league can be more actively political.
The NBA held a firm league for the past year, but watch out for MLB, as today they proved they are as socially conscious as they are completely clueless in the ways of marketing.
While they are on day 2 of their season opener, when logic dictates should be focusing on promoting the product they have on the field, the geniuses at MLB instead decided that Friday was the day they should announce they are moving their All-Star game out of the state of Georgia this summer.
The reason? Georgia voting laws.
Here’s the official statement from MLB.
“Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all American and opposes restrictions to the ballot box. In 2020, MLB became the first professional sports league to join the non-partisan Civic Alliance to help build a future in which everyone participates in shaping the United States. We proudly used our platform to encourage baseball fans and communities throughout our country to perform their civic duty and actively participate in the voting process. Fair access to voting continues to have our game’s unwavering support.”
What’s ironic, is MLB all but encourages fans to stuff the ballot box when it comes to selecting players to start in the All Star game every summer.
The move is a complete slap in the face to the family and legacy of MLB legend Hank Aaron, who recently passed away. Aaron played in Atlanta when he set the all-time career home run record in 1974. He lived in Atlanta. He was an icon in Atlanta. The game in July was going to pay tribute to Aaron in his hometown.
The MLB decision also affects fans in Atlanta who were looking to having the game in their backyard. The Braves said in a statement they were “deeply disappointed by the decision.”
There was a time, not long ago, when professional sports was a release for fans to get away from the pressures and heavy issues of politics. There was also a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth too.
Both eras seem like they are long gone.
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