Sports have culturally served as one of America’s favorite pastimes. It can be viewed as a welcomed break from the outside world. A world that is filled with struggling economies, constant conflict, and systemic inequalities. During times of controversy or unrest, it appears as though the two seemingly separate worlds of sports and politics collide. But are they truly separate? We have seen this happen repeatedly over the course of organized sport. History has recorded on-field activists such as Moses Fleetwood in 1883, Gertrude Ederle in 1926, Tommie Smith and John Carlos in 1986, and many more.
All of these integral moments in sports were directly related to social and civil injustice issues happening at the time. They tend to be heavily politicized while gaining national attention.
The death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor has sparked recent national outrage. Protests and demonstrations spread across America and have maintained a strong presence for nearly 4 months. On Aug. 23, 2020, a video of Jacob Blake being shot seven times in the back by a Kenosha Police Officer went viral. As conversations and tension quickly grew, professional sports decided that their power was in their silence.
On Aug. 26, 2020, players from the WNBA, NBA, MLB, and NHL decided that they will be postponing games originally scheduled for that day. Various teams made public statements, affirming the central message that racial injustice is a deep issue in this country. Two-time Grand Slam tennis champion, Naomi Osaka, swiftly followed by announcing that she will be withdrawing from the Western & Southern Open. She later resumed play in the U.S. Open but wore face masks with the names of black people who had lost their lives to acts of police brutality. This sent shock waves throughout the nation. We had never seen such a bold and polarizing move of solidarity in the sports world that caused regularly scheduled games to be postponed.
While others threw support behind them, some expressed discontent. They mentioned the need for athletes to stay out of the political sphere. They wished for life to return to “normal”. But the first domino had already fallen. Soon after professional sports resumed, college teams began their own acts of protest. Football teams from The University of Texas, Boston College, Mississippi State University, and more canceled practices and released statements of solidarity.
On Aug. 31, 2020, the Athletic Department of The University of Alabama, led by the football team and head coach Nick Saban, marched from the Mal Moore Athletic Complex to Foster Auditorium. Athletes gathered and socially distanced in Malone-Hood Plaza, facing the same area that became famous for the Stand in the Schoolhouse Door.
Head coach Nick Saban, athletic director Greg Byrne, University police chief John Hooks, University president Dr. Stuart Bell and vice president of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Dr. G. Christine Taylor shared words on behalf of the administration.
“I’ve learned through talking with our student-athletes… there are things I never had to think about or talk to our boys about, such as what to do if they got pulled over. I never had to worry about them getting followed by security while out shopping. Or potentially be in danger while going out for a jog,” Byrne voiced. Nick Saban recognized the influence that those in sports can have.
“Sports has always created a platform for social change… I think we have a responsibility and an obligation to do that… and create positive change,” Saban said.
Najee Harris, Chris Owens, and Jarez Parks shared sentiments on behalf of the athletes.
“The past few months have brought focus to issues that have been prevalent in society for years,” Harris expressed. “Black men and women have been the undeserving victims of racism in many ways including police brutality and hate crimes.”
He then asks one of the most important questions in the conversation of social change. “What next?” Najee and supporting athletes affirmed the need to do more within the community and collaborate with service organizations. They also called for holding law enforcement accountable, asking that local police forces begin re-training officers. This is in an effort to foster a more equitable space for members of the community.
According to Dr. Meredith Bagley, Associate Professor at The University of Alabama, whose research centers around sports, power, and rhetoric, what we’re beginning to see in sports culture is slightly different than what we’ve seen before.
“We’re seeing more variety in the high profile athletes who take a more prominent role. We’re also seeing levels of sport and types of sport that we don’t usually think of as activists. It’s this level of resistive politics,” Dr. Bagley said.
Resistive politics is one of two forms of widely used politics. Status Quo politics is the unnamed, yet prevalent, other half. Dr. Bagley describes organized sport over the past century as becoming more aligned with Status Quo politics. For example, Collegiate and professional teams that win their leagues national title get to visit the White House. According to a report released by late former senator John McCain and senator Jeff Flake, the Department of Defense spent $6.8 million dollars from 2012-2015 on events before professional sports games, including but not limited to, the honoring of military members, displaying the American flag and reenlistment ceremonies. This was justified by the department as a part of their recruitment strategy.
“The dominant voices that shape American culture are also shaping sports. We don’t recognize that as politics because that’s the way our everyday world is running. Those who are more likely to recognize that as politics are on the edges or underside of that status,” Bagley clarified.
Essentially, those who belong to communities that have been marginalized due to these structural rules and shapings are the ones to recognize those very rules. These are women athletes who don’t receive equal pay despite having major success. These are black women being accused of drug use because of their natural talent and strong physical features. These are athletes of color recognizing the duality of being respected for their athletic talent yet silenced for their views of society as a person of color. Those who do not experience the margin, do not see how sports and politics have been closely aligned for some time now.
“What we’re seeing now is a potentially unprecedented and sustained form of
Resistive Politics in sports. We’re seeing this interconnectedness of different leagues forming organized protests,” Bagley remarked.
Resistive politics hinges upon challenging the status quo. Bagley likened it to a dinner table conversation of current events. Opinions are welcomed so long as they are in agreement with the main beliefs of the house. Introducing an opinion that challenges those beliefs are met with the response, “Don’t bring politics into this.” But, the politics were already there.
That push back is most notably seen in the “shut up and dribble” responses. The Alabama protest was met with mixed reviews. Some loudly supported. Some claimed that they will no longer support the team because of this stance.
Especially during challenging times, people may view these resistive acts as a burden. Sports to them could be a welcomed break from a long work week or a needed pause in the middle of a hectic pandemic. The issue lies in the fact that they’re asking for a break from something that the very athletes they praise endure without relent. Black athletes are not afforded a break from institutionalized racism, no matter the talent or status. It can be fair to say that no one’s comfort level should be placed above those seeking basic human rights.
As we continue down this path of sustained resistive politics in organized sport, we must continue to ask ourselves the same question that Najee Harris posed. “What now?” What can we do to continuously press forward toward positive change? Allowing the marginalized to lead the charge and have necessary conversations is the only way to navigate the path of progress.
Theme for article: A bit darker theme with pictures of the Athletics march and athletes protesting. Perhaps black background with white words and black and white photos.
Sports have culturally served as one of America’s favorite pastimes. It can be viewed as a welcomed break from the outside world. A world that is filled with struggling economies, constant conflict, and systemic inequalities. During times of controversy or unrest, it appears as though the two seemingly separate worlds of sports and politics collide. But are they truly separate? We have seen this happen repeatedly over the course of organized sport. History has recorded on-field activists such as Moses Fleetwood in 1883, Gertrude Ederle in 1926, Tommie Smith and John Carlos in 1986, and many more.
All of these integral moments in sports were directly related to social and civil injustice issues happening at the time. They tend to be heavily politicized while gaining national attention.
The death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor has sparked recent national outrage. Protests and demonstrations spread across America and have maintained a strong presence for nearly 4 months. On Aug. 23, 2020, a video of Jacob Blake being shot seven times in the back by a Kenosha Police Officer went viral. As conversations and tension quickly grew, professional sports decided that their power was in their silence.
On Aug. 26, 2020, players from the WNBA, NBA, MLB, and NHL decided that they will be postponing games originally scheduled for that day. Various teams made public statements, affirming the central message that racial injustice is a deep issue in this country. Two-time Grand Slam tennis champion, Naomi Osaka, swiftly followed by announcing that she will be withdrawing from the Western & Southern Open. She later resumed play in the U.S. Open but wore face masks with the names of black people who had lost their lives to acts of police brutality. This sent shock waves throughout the nation. We had never seen such a bold and polarizing move of solidarity in the sports world that caused regularly scheduled games to be postponed.
While others threw support behind them, some expressed discontent. They mentioned the need for athletes to stay out of the political sphere. They wished for life to return to “normal”. But the first domino had already fallen. Soon after professional sports resumed, college teams began their own acts of protest. Football teams from The University of Texas, Boston College, Mississippi State University, and more canceled practices and released statements of solidarity.
On Aug. 31, 2020, the Athletic Department of The University of Alabama, led by the football team and head coach Nick Saban, marched from the Mal Moore Athletic Complex to Foster Auditorium. Athletes gathered and socially distanced in Malone-Hood Plaza, facing the same area that became famous for the Stand in the Schoolhouse Door.
Head coach Nick Saban, athletic director Greg Byrne, University police chief John Hooks, University president Dr. Stuart Bell and vice president of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Dr. G. Christine Taylor shared words on behalf of the administration.
“I’ve learned through talking with our student-athletes… there are things I never had to think about or talk to our boys about, such as what to do if they got pulled over. I never had to worry about them getting followed by security while out shopping. Or potentially be in danger while going out for a jog,” Byrne voiced. Nick Saban recognized the influence that those in sports can have.
“Sports has always created a platform for social change… I think we have a responsibility and an obligation to do that… and create positive change,” Saban said.
Najee Harris, Chris Owens, and Jarez Parks shared sentiments on behalf of the athletes.
“The past few months have brought focus to issues that have been prevalent in society for years,” Harris expressed. “Black men and women have been the undeserving victims of racism in many ways including police brutality and hate crimes.”
He then asks one of the most important questions in the conversation of social change. “What next?” Najee and supporting athletes affirmed the need to do more within the community and collaborate with service organizations. They also called for holding law enforcement accountable, asking that local police forces begin re-training officers. This is in an effort to foster a more equitable space for members of the community.
According to Dr. Meredith Bagley, Associate Professor at The University of Alabama, whose research centers around sports, power, and rhetoric, what we’re beginning to see in sports culture is slightly different than what we’ve seen before.
“We’re seeing more variety in the high profile athletes who take a more prominent role. We’re also seeing levels of sport and types of sport that we don’t usually think of as activists. It’s this level of resistive politics,” Dr. Bagley said.
Resistive politics is one of two forms of widely used politics. Status Quo politics is the unnamed, yet prevalent, other half. Dr. Bagley describes organized sport over the past century as becoming more aligned with Status Quo politics. For example, Collegiate and professional teams that win their leagues national title get to visit the White House. According to a report released by late former senator John McCain and senator Jeff Flake, the Department of Defense spent $6.8 million dollars from 2012-2015 on events before professional sports games, including but not limited to, the honoring of military members, displaying the American flag and reenlistment ceremonies. This was justified by the department as a part of their recruitment strategy.
“The dominant voices that shape American culture are also shaping sports. We don’t recognize that as politics because that’s the way our everyday world is running. Those who are more likely to recognize that as politics are on the edges or underside of that status,” Bagley clarified.
Essentially, those who belong to communities that have been marginalized due to these structural rules and shapings are the ones to recognize those very rules. These are women athletes who don’t receive equal pay despite having major success. These are black women being accused of drug use because of their natural talent and strong physical features. These are athletes of color recognizing the duality of being respected for their athletic talent yet silenced for their views of society as a person of color. Those who do not experience the margin, do not see how sports and politics have been closely aligned for some time now.
“What we’re seeing now is a potentially unprecedented and sustained form of
Resistive Politics in sports. We’re seeing this interconnectedness of different leagues forming organized protests,” Bagley remarked.
Resistive politics hinges upon challenging the status quo. Bagley likened it to a dinner table conversation of current events. Opinions are welcomed so long as they are in agreement with the main beliefs of the house. Introducing an opinion that challenges those beliefs are met with the response, “Don’t bring politics into this.” But, the politics were already there.
That push back is most notably seen in the “shut up and dribble” responses. The Alabama protest was met with mixed reviews. Some loudly supported. Some claimed that they will no longer support the team because of this stance.
Especially during challenging times, people may view these resistive acts as a burden. Sports to them could be a welcomed break from a long work week or a needed pause in the middle of a hectic pandemic. The issue lies in the fact that they’re asking for a break from something that the very athletes they praise endure without relent. Black athletes are not afforded a break from institutionalized racism, no matter the talent or status. It can be fair to say that no one’s comfort level should be placed above those seeking basic human rights.
As we continue down this path of sustained resistive politics in organized sport, we must continue to ask ourselves the same question that Najee Harris posed. “What now?” What can we do to continuously press forward toward positive change? Allowing the marginalized to lead the charge and have necessary conversations is the only way to navigate the path of progress.
