LeBron James reacts to MLB’s decision to move its All-Star Game and draft from Atlanta.
In the wake of new and troubling voter suppression laws in Georgia, particularly ones making if harder for minorities to vote, MLB decided to take a stand on Friday, announcing that the 2021 MLB All-Star Game and 2021 MLB Draft would no longer be held in Atlanta.
The decision is an economic boycott of sorts, and one that will hopefully spur Georgian businesses, fans and even the Atlanta Braves themselves to take action and mobilize against these new laws.
While the Braves released a scathing statement condemning MLB’s decision, not everyone is totally missing the mark when it comes to their reactions to this news.
For example, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, who helped launch the More Than A Vote campaign in order to energize, educate and protect Black voters and their rights, tweeted out his support for Major League Baseball:
LeBron James expresses his support for MLB’s decision
For those who were unaware, two weeks ago, it was reported that James would become a part-owner of the Boston Red Sox, marking his entry into MLB as he joined the Fenway Sports Group. Alongside his business partner Maverick Carter, he and James will be the first Black partners in Fenway Sports Group history.
Now that James is officially part of the MLB family, this news had to make him very happy, since he’s been working with More Than A Vote to protect voter rights — especially in Georgia, where these types of voter suppression laws are hardly new.
The Braves organization may have entirely missed the mark with their first public statement, but James understands the value of MLB taking a strong stance against voter suppression, as well as how it could prompt change by simply moving an All-Star Game.