The Sports Boycott and Its Impact
- One team boycotting one basketball game as a sign of protest against the shooting of Jacob Blake is continuing to grow after day one.
All three NBA playoff games and all three WNBA regular season games on Wednesday were boycotted. After NBA league meetings about where to go from there, it appears the season will resume in the next couple of days. All three WNBA games tonight will also not be played.
NBA statement on hopeful Postseason return on Friday or Saturday. pic.twitter.com/Qn0fcC7KHa
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 27, 2020
This movement is spreading to other major American sports as well. Four MLB games were not played last night, and it appears more will not be played tonight, including the Phillies-Nationals.
The Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics game tonight is going to be postponed, sources tell ESPN. Additionally, @JSalisburyNBCS is reporting the Phillies and Nationals will not play tonight. And the Red Sox will be having a meeting to determine whether they're playing Toronto.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 27, 2020
In addition, the two NHL playoff games tonight, including Game 3 of Flyers-Islanders, will not be played.
Breaking: The NHL will not play any playoff games Thursday in solidarity with other leagues protesting the recent police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin, sources confirm to @emilymkaplan. pic.twitter.com/WKESkdHAuI
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 27, 2020
So this leads to the question of what impact will sports leagues not playing for around two days have on racism?
Well for starters, last night following the boycott, members of the Milwaukee Bucks were able to have phone conversations with Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes and Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul. After discussions on racial issues, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers “has called a special session of the State Legislature and urged lawmakers to vote on a legislative package that includes police reform,” per Ramona Shelburne. The legislation was introduced on June 20, but it has not been voted on yet.
Here’s the Police Reform Bill the Bucks discussed today on their call with Lt Governor Mandela Barnes. https://t.co/ulaCnR6eOY
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) August 27, 2020
The legislation includes proposals of barring the use of chokeholds and no-knock warrants, requiring annual de-escalation training and requiring potential officer candidates to allow previous employers to disclose work history.
In other words, the Milwaukee Bucks not playing one game could lead to a large step towards ending racial injustice in their home state. That was just after one night. Imagine what more can happen soon as a domino effect to that, especially with other major sports leagues joining the cause in a form of unity.
Some of the other main topics the athletes and coaches are pushing for is Americans to vote and for more to have the right and ability to vote. Using their platforms, in addition to the assets that leagues and owners have, could certainly make an impact on this.
Plus, all of this is making more people aware of these issues going on in the country, right? Now more people seem to be gaining awareness of the severity to the problems, and they are having more discussions on it.
This is not just a huge moment in sports history. This is a huge moment in American history, and it is probably only the beginning of change that will come to fight racism.
