Major League Baseball (MLB) announced on Sunday that it will not schedule any more advertising on its platforms promoting music artist Roger Waters.
The leadership of the Jewish advocacy organization B’nai B’rith International sent a letter to baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred last month criticizing the sport’s involvement in ticket sales for Waters’ “This is Not a Drill” tour.
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Roger Waters walks along the Israeli barrier in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem
(Photo: Reuters)
MLB.com was among the organizations sponsoring ticket presales.
B’nai B’rith President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin said Waters’ views on Jews and Israel “far exceed the boundaries of civil discourse.”
Waters has supported the boycott, divestment, sanctions movement known as BDS; which is a Palestinian-led campaign promoting various forms of boycott against Israel until it meets what the campaign describes as Israel's "obligations under international law", defined by the organization as the withdrawal from the West Bank, removal of the separation barrier, full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, and "respecting, protecting, and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties".
Israeli authorities say the movement’s true aim is to delegitimize the nation and eventually wipe it off the map.
Waters also has been criticized for his use of the Star of David at some of his shows. He has said he never intended to offend the Jewish people and made changes after hearing complaints.
B’nai B’rith said in a statement Friday that MLB told it “there are no plans to schedule any more ads on the MLB platforms.”
MLB later confirmed B’nai B’rith’s statement was accurate.
MLB has said the promotion was part of an ad buy by AEG/Concerts West for multiple concert tours.
Waters’ spokeswoman, Fran Curtis, did not immediately return a request for comment.