Major League Baseball is making it extremely difficult to remain as a baseball fan.
- Last season you came out in support of the controversial BLM movement. I am offended. I Think that all lives matter.
- This season you moved the All Star Game to be played next month from Atlanta because they didn't like an election reform law in Georgia...I am offended. I have different political opinions and beliefs.
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Now, there's the support of the LGBTQ movement and Pride nights. As a Christian, I am offended. How can a Christian celebrate and be proud of something that God says is sinful?
A lot of sports fans are boycotting pro sports because pro sports and athletes are using their platform to talk politics. Major League Baseball is no exception. Most fans don't want that. I don't want that. I have been a St Louis Cardinals fan since I was in the fourth grade and started following baseball. The St Louis Cardinals were my team. I am a baseball fanatic. All winter long I look forward to opening day. I watch or listen to almost every game. I subscribe to MLB.TV paying $125 a season so I can watch all of the games from Wichita, Kansas. I have made numerous trips driving 441 miles from Wichita to St Louis, spending my hard earned money staying in your hotels, eating in your restaurants, and purchasing expensive tickets to watch the games in person. I have purchased Cardinals shirts, caps, and souvenirs.
In my younger days, the Kansas City Royals were my destination, again spending lots of hard earned money, staying in your hotels, eating in your restaurants, and purchasing expensive tickets to watch the games in person. I have purchased Royals shirts, caps, and souvenirs.
The players and owners make a lot of money. More in one season than I will ever dream of making, in my career at the post office. I understand that there is a lot of bad stuff happening in the world right now, but the last thing that I want to hear is politics when I am tuning in to or reading about the St. Louis Cardinals or the Kansas City Royals. The last thing that I want to see is baseball players kneeling for the National Anthem or talking politics. The last thing that I want to see is Major League Baseball taking political stances. And most baseball fans would probably agree with me. If I want baseball I will watch or listen to the Cardinals or Royals. If I want politics, I'll turn the channel and watch Fox News.
Politics divides people. Depending on where we get our news we have different opinions on the facts. I am offended by the political stances that MLB and its players have been taking. Don't we have enough division in our world? I am willing to have political discussions, but the sports arena is not the place to do this. Sports brings people with different beliefs and backgrounds together.
Last year KC Royals player Whit Merrifield said the following...."We — I saw ‘we’ because I’m reflecting the guys that I’ve spoken to about this, and I haven’t spoken to every single member on the team about it — but we feel what we do is a separation from what’s all going on in the world for a lot of people,” Merrifield said. “We feel like it’s important for us to go out and do our job because it gives people a three-hour window to enjoy a baseball game and to not think about what else is going on in the world."
I totally agree...
I work hard all day, the last thing I want to do is to come home and argue about politics. That's my time to unwind. That's my escape from the rest of the world. Let's have political discussions, but for three hours a day, can we argue about balls and strikes instead of politics?
I've been a baseball fan for most of my life. It would hurt to start boycotting the sport because I really enjoy the game. But that's what it might come down to. For now, I will not spend another dime traveling to your cities, attending Major League Baseball games, or purchasing your souvenirs. You can do better. Stick to what you do best! Playing the best game ever. No politics. Just Baseball!
