COBB COUNTY, Ga. — The Atlanta Braves home opener isn’t until Friday and some fans are asking for season ticket refunds.
The request has nothing to with the team’s winless record so far. Fans are upset Major League Baseball pulled the All-Star game from Truist Park because of Georgia’s new voting law.
“I understand the Braves didn’t make this decision, in fact, they were very much opposed to it, but my connection to Major League Baseball is the Atlanta Braves and the only way I knew to protest this decision was to, at least for this year, to not attend any games,” said lifelong Braves fan Todd Trainer.
Trainer emailed the season ticket office last Friday shortly after the MLB’s announcement.
A Braves spokesperson told Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Chris Jose fans who bought All-Star game tickets will get their money back. The Braves will work with fans who want season ticket refunds on a case-by-case basis, the spokesperson said.
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“The message to Major League Baseball is these decisions matter and it affects people at a real level,” said Trainer. “The message I hoped to send was that it matters. These decisions matter and they matter to the fans who are there day in and day out, cheering on their team. I’ve been going to Braves games since 1966 when they moved to Atlanta. It’s a big part of my life.”
In a statement on Friday, the Braves said:
“The Atlanta Braves are deeply disappointed by the decision of Major League Baseball to move its’ 2021 All Star Game.
This was neither our decision, nor our recommendation and we are saddened that fans will not be able to see this event in our city. The Braves organization will continue to stress the importance of equal voting opportunities and we had hoped our city could use this event as a platform to enhance the discussion. Our city has always been known as a uniter in divided times and we will miss the opportunity to address issues that are important to our community.
Unfortunately, businesses, employees, and fans in Georgia are the victims of this decision.
We will continue to support the community legacy projects which have been planned and are in process.”
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The Cobb County Travel and Tourism Bureau estimates a $100 million dollar loss.
“It’s one event, a major event. It was going to be the biggest event in Cobb County’s history,” said Cobb County commissioner Jerica Richardson.
Richardson represents district two in Cobb County, which includes the area in and around Truist Park.
“I was disappointed in the decision,” said Richardson. “This is the area I represent. I know what it means for our residents. I know what it means for our business owners. That was something I was committed to and making sure there were real benefits seen by members of our community.”
Richardson is hosting a town hall meeting on Tuesday night with other Cobb County leaders and the business community. She told Jose she will address the loss of the all-star game.
“There are lots of things throughout this state’s history where business has been impacted and I think the only way to prevent that type of impact is when people come together, when we have those conversations, and when we’re proactively addressing concerns,” said Richardson.
“As leaders, we still have a county to run. We’re still going to take care of our community. There is still so much Cobb County has to offer.”
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