New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays Pause Game Coverage to Highlight Gun Violence Stats

The New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays suspended their usual game coverage on Twitter to draw attention to gun violence within the United States.

Typically, the two organizations’ Twitter accounts post live states about the game being played. Instead, they posted statistics about gun violence on Thursday. The move by the two Major League Baseball teams comes in the aftermath of the Uvalde school shooting, where an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at a Texas elementary school.

“In lieu of gave coverage and in collaboration with the Tampa Bay Rays, we will be using our channels to offer facts about the impacts of gun violence.” the Yankees said on Twitter. “The devastating events that have taken place in Uvalde, Buffalo and countless other communities across our nation are tragedies that are intolerable.”

In one of the posts, the Yankees mentioned that “more than 4,100 Latinx people die from gun violence” in the country. The Rays and Yankees’ followed up their posts with sources for their gun violence statistics.

The Rays shared a similar message on Twitter and said, “this cannot become normal.”

“We cannot become numb. We cannot look the other way. We all know, if nothing changes, nothing changes,” the Rays statement continued.

The Rays’ statement also referenced the recent shooting in Buffalo, New York, where a gunman murdered ten shoppers.

The Rays also announced a $50,000 donation to Everytown, a nonprofit organization dedicated to getting gun control legislation advanced through Congress.

The two baseball teams are not the first sports organizations to advocate for a change in gun laws after the Uvalde shooting. The Miami Heat reportedly urged attendees at a recent game to call their Senators and ask for gun control.

“The Heat urges you to contact your state’s senators by calling 202-224-3121 to leave a message demanding their support for commonsense gun laws,” Heat announced Michael Baiamonte told fans. “You can also make change at the ballot box.”

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr also gave an impassioned plea for gun control before game four of the NBA’s Western Conference Finals. Kerr has also teamed up with the Brady Campaign to fundraise against “NRA-backed politicians,” according to an Outkick report on Thursday.