Episode 11: Shut Up and Dribble
Why athletes’ voices matter just as much off the field as what they do on it
https://anchor.fm/s/435545cc/podcast/rssPolitics and sports have been intertwined in America for a long time. Recently, Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem sparked a new chapter in this intersection. The social justice movements of 2020 have also had a huge impact on sports. Athletes used their voices and resources to encourage people to get out and vote. Sports stadiums and arenas around the country were used as voting stations and were great for spacing people out during the coronavirus pandemic. In Ann Arbor, athletes like football player Cameron McGrone and basketball player Isaiah Livers used their social media to speak up for what they believed in. Head Football Coach Jim Harbaugh also marched with his players in support of BLM. Overall, this has been a polarizing topic around the country, but has shown how important it is for athletes to use the platforms that they have.
Episode High Points
- 33 Sports Venues served as polling sites on election day.
- Predominant figures in sports like Lebron James have put their money, time, and influence behind social justice causes.
- Leagues have made it a priority to promote Black Lives Matter messaging.
Credits
Sports Business Journal: Sports amplified its role in this year’s election and now looks ahead to what’s next, Liz Mullen, John Lombardo and Bill King, https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2020/11/09/Law-and-Politics/Election-athletes.aspx?hl=election&sc=0
Lebron James responds to Fox News: ‘I will not just shut up and dribble’ | ESPN
Michigan HC Jim Harbaugh Reflects on George Floyd and Colin Kaepernick | Rich Eisen Show
Energetic Percussion by Infraction [No Copyright Drum Music] / The Rhythm
Laura Ingraham Destroys Lebron James ‘Shut Up and Dribble’
Producer
Colin Rownd
Hello! My name is Colin Rownd, and I’m a junior at the University of Michigan studying Sport Management.
