American Views on Politics in Sports

                                  American Views on Politics in Sports

 

                        Colin Kaepernick and fellow teammates kneeling in protest during the National Anthem 

     Source: The Guardian and John G. Mabanglo  

 

 

By Andrew Monson  

JRN 100 Staff Writer  

BROCKTON — In 2016, following the boiling point of police brutality and social injustice in the United States, then NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the national anthem. Instead, he took a knee on the sideline as a sign of protest.  

This action sent shockwaves through not only the NFL, but the nation, bringing to light a rift that long had been simmering beneath the surface about whether athletes should use their positions to make political statements.  

“The truth is this is not a new thing for athletes. Black athletes have voiced their opinions for years from the turn of the century to the current Black Lives Matter movement,” said Gerson, a professor of politics and sports at UMass Lowell. “Athletes have always been speaking out, we just have not been paying attention to them.”  

A poll conducted later in 2016 by CBS titled Majority of Americans disagree with Colin Kaepernick's protest showed that 61% of Americans disagreed with the knee, and 72% felt it was unpatriotic, while only 46% of Americans felt Kaepernick should not face punishment. 

Over time, studies showed that support for Kaepernick and other athletes who chose to kneel grew, but so did the backlash. People across the nation said they were split for a multitude of reasons, whether it was because they did not want to mix sports and politics or because they just did not agree with the stance of the athletes. 

In 2019, the Pew Research Center produced a study called Most Americans say it’s OK for professional athletes to speak out publicly about politics that showed American opinions about athletes speaking out publicly about politics had begun to shift in favor. 

The research showed that in three years, Americans had become more welcoming to the idea, with 62% saying that it is okay for athletes to speak out on political topics. The majority in that group were young adults ranging from 18-29 years old.  

Black and Hispanic Americans had even higher percentages, with 79% of Black Americans and 69% of Hispanic Americans saying they believed it is okay 

The largest divide of those who say it is okay and those who do not comes from the partisan divide, 80% of left leaning Americans say it is okay while 58% of Republicans disagree. 

Researchers also asked if people felt that athletes needed to share their political views with the public. The majority said that it was not important, while 22% said it was necessary. 

 Most white Americans and Republicans saying political affiliation did not affect their support for an athlete with 58% of white Americans saying it did not matter and 60% of Republicans agreeing. 

 Dr. Jeffrey Gerson from UMass Lowell has spent the last 21 years bridging the gap between students and experts by taking his politics in sports courses beyond the classroom. 

According to the Pew Research Center’s 2019 study, most Americans say it is okay for athletes to speak out publicly on political matters, but one group the study did not cover was student athletes.  

Collegiate student athletes are the most accessible bridge between a regular person and the mind of professional athletes, and their insight on politics in sports is paramount in gaining an understanding from both sides of the discussion. One of these student athletes is Stonehill club softball pitcher Madisyn Vieira who has spent her entire life playing sports.  

An underlying issue that can cause a rift between politics and athletes addressing them is the lack of knowledge on political matters, says Gerson.  

“I do not really concern myself with politics, my family is into it, but personally I am not,” said Vieira, "I can understand why some people do, but it’s just not for me.” 

Politics in sports carries a lot of questions with it such as why it has spiked up in popularity for these athletes to use their platform to address political matters according to trends. 

“The truth is, this isn’t a new thing for athletes, athletes have voiced their opinions for years from the turn of the century to the current BLM movement,” said Gerson “Athletes have always been speaking out, we just haven’t been paying attention to them.”  

The issue of these athletes not being heard according to Gerson comes from them typically not having the “clout” to speak out or to be heard. 

“Unless you are an untouchable like the Brady's, the LeBron's, or the Alis, you are typically afraid to reach out because you can be taken out of a job,” said Gerson, “If you are a bench player, and you speak critically about your organization or anything that brings negative publicity, you are cut, that is it for you.” 

This idea of silence through fear is shared by Gerson and Vieira alike. 

“I think athletes have been afraid to speak out publicly because they can lose contracts and sponsors, as well as fans who may see these opinions and remove themselves,” said Vieira “It can be a scary path to take.”  

With the increase in athletes speaking out publicly on political matters and world issues, there is a question of what benefits can come from this. Both experts and regular people have seen at least some benefit from this increase in platforms being used to make change according to Gerson. 

“These athletes, whether they like it or not, are role models. Because of their status and platform that they have achieved through their amazing athletic talent,” said Gerson, "It then becomes what they want to do with that platform, they can choose to make a difference or stay silent, either way they will face the benefits and consequences.” 

While they do have the option of speaking out or not, Vieira does not believe this should affect their fan relationships. 

“I do not think their opinions should be taken to heart,” said Vieira, “Their views shouldn’t change how you view and enjoy them as an athlete.”