Atlanta will host the 2021 MLB All-Star game, the latest feather in the city's stuffed cap of sports spectacles.
Braves manager Brian Snitker is excited to see Atlanta host MLB’s largest mid-summer event. Snitker, who’s spent over four decades in the Braves organization, feels it’s the optimal opportunity to show off SunTrust Park and the surrounding structure.
“I think it’s going to be spectacular,” he said. “I can’t think of a better venue and what we have going on here with the Battery (Atlanta), the new ballpark. Let the world see what we have going on here. I think it’s going to be a great, great event.”
Atlanta is fresh off hosting the Super Bowl in February, which came a year after holding the powerhouse Alabama-Georgia national-title football game. The NCAA Men's Final Four awaits next spring.
It’s been a renaissance of sorts for Atlanta’s sports cathedrals. SunTrust Park and Mercedes-Benz Stadium are new on the scene, as is the newly renovated State Farm Arena.
“The Super Bowl got raves,” Snitker said. “I think this will. It’s just an unbelievable venue to have the game’s best out here playing. It’ll be awesome. I think the whole week will be tremendous.”
Also fresh to the local landscape: A winning Braves team. Loaded with youth, it’s easy to envision several Braves playing in front of the home crowd in 2021. Ronald Acuna, Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, Max Fried, Mike Soroka and the bevy of other growing players project to be in that conversation.
“I think it’s good timing for the Braves, and it’ll be a really neat thing to be a part of,” Snitker said. “Hopefully a lot of them are having years to warrant being part of that club.”
