There are times when sports and politics collide. Usually it’s individual athletes speaking out on an issue or endorsing a candidate. When a whole team, league or players association jumps into the political ring, it’s hard not to notice. Personally I prefer the two to stay separate, but there comes a time when it’s unavoidable. This is the case with the Phoenix Suns and calls for Major League Baseball to pull the 2011 All-Star Game from Phoenix. 

Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver announced that for Game Two of the Western Conference Semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs, the Suns would wear jerseys saying ‘Los Suns’ to show support for the phoenix Latino community and protest against Arizona’s new immigration law. The Phoenix Suns previously wore the ‘Los Suns’ jerseys wore in March part of the NBA’s Noche Latina campaign. The Spurs were willing to join the Suns with their own ‘Los Spurs’ jerseys but were unable to get them in time for the game. Sarver has spoken out against the law, joining a growing group of opposition. I think it’s a bold move by an organization like the Suns and the National Basketball Association. The fact that it’s game two during the playoffs makes the gesture grander then during the regular season.  

The NBA like Major League Baseball has a diverse fan base that includes Hispanics. Hispanics also make up a 30 percent of MLB players, a number that has increased over the years. MLB caters to its Hispanic fan base by providing Spanish versions of their websites. MLB has strong ties to the Hispanic community not only in the United States but also in Latin America. Arizona’s immigration law caused players and managers to speak out.

The baseball players union issued a statement saying ‘The recent passage by Arizona of a new immigration law could have a negative impact on hundreds of major league players who are citizens of countries other than the United States.’ Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said that if was asked to go to the All-Star Game next year and the Arizona law was still in effect he wouldn’t go. Recently organizations like the Rainbow Collation have written letters to Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig asking him to pull the 2011 All-Star game from that state. Selig initially said he wasn’t going to make a decision about pulling the All-Star Game from Phoenix.

In a press conference May 13, Selig gave a round about answer to the 2011 All-Star Game. Saying, “"We have nine [minority] managers, 10 last year. Five general managers, that's an all-time high. In 1992 when I took over [as Commissioner], 2 percent was our minority participation. Today, it's in excess of 24 percent. Obviously almost 40 percent of our players are minorities.”  Selig went on to say “We're a social institution. We've done everything we should do. It's our responsibility. We're privileged to do it. And we'll continue to do it. I'm proud of that. That's the issue and that's the answer.”  For now the 2011 All-Star game is going to still be in Phoenix.