Did Stacey Abrams lobby to move MLB All-Star Game in 2021? Fact-checking viral Facebook post

Stacey Abrams came under fire in last year's US midterm elections for allegedly underselling her home city. Abrams is an important figure on the Georgia political scene, and her endorsements carry considerable weight.

Born in Milwaukee, Abrams moved to the Atlanta area as a teenager. A graduate of Yale University, she has been active in the Georgia Democratic Party, serving as a state representative from 2007 to 2017.

Abrams faced Georgia governor Brian Kemp twice and was unsuccessful both times. In 2018, Abrams garnered 48.8% of the popular vote, but still came short of her Republican counterpart by about 55,000 votes.

During the 2022 midterms, a Facebook post espoused a theory that Abrams had lobbied for the removal of the 2021 MLB All-Star game from Truist Park (home of the Atlanta Braves).

"Braves pennant win prompts GOP's Brian Kemp to jab at Stacey Abrams, MLB over Atlanta All-Star snub" - @ Andy Vermout

However, a law passed under Kemp's Republican-controlled house caused the league to rethink their decision. The Election Integrity Act of 2021 rolled out a swath of new regulations concerning state election practices.

According to the MLBPA's eventual decision, the new mandate disproportionately affected disadvantaged communities.

The 2021 MLB All-Star Game was thus moved to Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies. Many blamed the political left (to which Stacey Abrams belongs) of fanning the flames of controversy over this "common-sense" voter identification law.

The 2021 All-Star game was a smashing success, with Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. winning the game's MVP.

A widely-circulated Facebook post in the midst of Abrams' 2022 midterm rematch against Brian Kemp suggested that she had lobbied the MLB to remove the All-Star game. The post garnered over 4,300 likes and popped up on newsfeeds far beyond Georgia.

"Last year, Stacey Abrams pressured MLB to move the All-Star game out of Georgia. After costing Georgia businesses $100 MILLION in lost revenue, imagine the damage Abrams would cause to our economy if she's elected Governor." - @ Brian Kemp

Stacey Abrams decried the bill for presenting obstacles to disadvantaged communities. However, there is no evidence to suggest that she directly lobbied for the removal of the 2021 All-Star game.

Stacey Abrams furore used as an example of the dangers of mixing sports and politics

Thankfully, there is no evidence of undue process in this example. However, sports history is rife with examples of politicians tampering with sports to work towards their own ends.

It is impossible to keep politics out of sport, as political events seep into every nuance of daily life. However, sometimes political and sporting figures damage their reputations by mixing them together.

Look no further than the career of Colin Kaepernick, whose NFL career ended after taking the knee several years ago.