COLORADO, USA — Activism is not a new idea in professional sports.
But in 2020, athletes are seeing a different kind of response from fans and members of the public compared to many of the athletes that came before them.
On Wednesday, the Lakers and Clippers voted at a meeting with other teams to boycott the season, according to a report by The Athletic, citing sources. The other teams voted to continue.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski had a different take, saying sources indicated the vote by the teams was seen as more of a poll than a final decision.
That came after the news that several professional leagues postponed games Wednesday, following a boycott by the Milwaukee Bucks. Players said they are protesting and showing solidarity, after the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin last weekend. Postponed games include match-ups in the NBA, WNBA, MLB and MLS. The Detroit Lions canceled a practice earlier this week.
Wednesday also marked four years since former San Francisco 49ers Quarterback, Colin Kaepernick first began his protests against racial and social injustices during the national anthem of NFL games.
“People are no longer staying silent about an issue that we refuse to address,” said Ryan Harris, a member of the Broncos Super Bowl 50 Championship team. “It’s not just the Lions, Bucks, Brewers, it’s the people on these teams who are mostly not from that area, saying, ‘Hey were are not going to allow this to happen.’”
Harris is now an author, speaker, and sports radio host. He said athletes have long been involved in activism and pointed to boxer Muhammad Ali as one example.
However, in 2020, Harris said athletes have been emboldened to speak knowing so many people are now listening to the message.
“For a long time nobody cared, ‘Hey you get paid X-amount of dollars, you shouldn’t have any problems,’ And I understand that, in terms of a reality situation,” Harris explained. "But more people have learned that [athletes] are human beings. This is how teams of your sport have always won. It doesn’t matter if you are black, Muslim, Latino – can you get the job done? There exists a very competitive, productive and fruitful world when we play together, use our strengths, listen to one another and find ways to win together.”
Harris, who co-hosts a mid-day show on Altitude Sports Radio 92.5, said the conversations extend beyond sports and sports radio.
“If you’re trying to escape this conversation, you can’t," he said. "I hope you see that now. It will interrupt your basketball, baseball, your soccer, golf. It’s going to interrupt your workplace because we have to create change and this movement is here to stay until change comes. It’s very important that everybody notices that by players not playing today, the Milwaukee Bucks are on the precipice of going to the next playoff round. Brewers not playing this game is going to affect their pay. You have professional athletes who waited all their life to live in this moment and they’re saying ‘I’m not going to do this, to create change' This conversation will not leave until change happens.”
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