Atlanta to host the 2021 MLB All-Star Game

In each sport, there is an event/game that cities throughout the league or sport lobby to get their cities to host. Whether it is the NBA or NFL Draft, the Super Bowl, the Olympics, college football bowl games, or whatever....there are events that transcend the usual home and road aspects of sports and are treated as world-wide celebrations that draw big crowds.

In baseball, that event is (mostly) the MLB All-Star Game. The World Baseball Classic is gaining more and more cache each time the event is held, but for the most part the All-Star Game is the pinnacle. With the World Series’ location being dictated solely by its participants (unlike the Super Bowl), the All-Star Game is the event that the league uses to promote not only its best players, but also its past and future stars. It also doesn’t hurt that the ASG has a lot of sweet exhibitions that go on during that week including the always popular Home Run Derby and the Futures Game.

For the 2021 All-Star Game, it was well-known that Atlanta was lobbying hard to have the All-Star festivities held in the city. With several high profile events happening in the newly built Mercedes-Benz Stadium already, officials were wanting to capitalize on the newness and amenities of SunTrust Park (and The Battery). Those efforts were successful.

With Atlanta hosting the 2021 All-Star Game, this will be the first time the ASG has been held in Atlanta since 2000 when over 51,000 fans went to Turner Field and saw the America League win by the score of 6-3. Atlanta also hosted the game in 1972 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

It is worth mentioning that by the time the game is played, SunTrust Park will no longer go by that name. With SunTrust Bank and BB&T set to merge soon, the resulting company will go by a new name and will also be changed on the Braves’ stadium.