Sports and Politics

Colin Kaepernick (center), who started the protesting movement,
with fellow teammates protesting during the anthem.

On October 5th, 2017 we discussed politics and its connection with sports. This article relates to what we discussed in class in many ways. One way is that the article talks about the anthem protests that happen before NFL games, and we learned that the tradition to play the anthem started by 1940. We also discussed that the flag is a symbol of of our government and political system and athletes in the past have protested during the anthem, like in the 1968 Olympic Games when Tommie Smith and John Carlos held up their fist during the anthem. The athletes were treated harshly when they returned home just like how the athletes that protest the anthem now and the teams who let the athletes protest. The article also talks about how teams are losing business and fans from these protests and tells how there are ideas on how to fix the problem but no solid plan. Specifically the Atlanta Falcons owner, Arthur Blanks, will have a meeting with players, coaches, law enforcement and others to see what the best course of action is. We learned in class that a connection between government and sport is to promote economic development but sport organizations can not do that if fans are mad. The article also talks about how this problem was because of the President of the United States words calling out owners to fire players who protest. Instead of politics and sport working together to promote dominant values of the United States, safeguard the public order, and to promote the prestige and power of the nation, they are working against each other and tearing one another down. 

Owner of the Cowboys, Jerry Jones, (center) with players
and head coach kneeing before the anthem

Find the article here:
http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2017/10/02/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/NFL-Owners.aspx?hl=politics%20in%20sports&sc=0