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Future of Sports Activism: Reimagining its Bottom Line

1,029 views · Published 10 December 2018 · 2:05:03 · Indexed 20 October 2026

Channel: The Aspen Institute · 2018 · News & Politics

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The year 2018 marked another fascinating one for activism in sports. Athletes, brands and leagues took different positions on whether and how to address political and social issues.

The NFL halted implementation of its new national anthem policy, leaving it up to each team whether a player would be disciplined for protesting. Nike, the largest company in sports, saw boosts in sales and stock price after releasing its Colin Kaepernick ad. LeBron James was told to shut up and dribble, so he created a documentary series called Shut Up and Dribble. College athletes, WNBA players, Olympians and others also continued to use their voice.

Some are praised for speaking out in the sports arena; others face backlash. What if athlete activism was a regular feature of sports? If more athletes spoke up on matters of public importance, what would be the implications in a number of areas, such as fan engagement, sponsorships, relationships within teams, athlete health and welfare, and society in general?

On Dec. 10, we will explore this topic at a panel discussion. RSVP here to attend in person. Confirmed speakers so far include (more will be finalized in the near future):

Joe Briggs, NFL Players Association public policy counsel
Cheryl Reeve, Minnesota Lynx coach and general manager
Ellis McKennie, University of Maryland football player   
Future of Sports is a new quarterly conversation series by the Sports & Society Program. Our first event in January was Future of Football: Reimagining the Game’s Pipeline. Our second event in May was Future of College Sports: Reimagining Athlete Pay. Our third event in September was Future of Sports Betting: Reimagining its Public Value. We will explore four topics in 2018 with thought leaders, encouraging them to consider the major trends and potential policy shifts on the table, and ask: What if? In doing so, we aim to help stakeholders think through key questions shaping the future of our games, the sports industry and its impact on society.

The Sports & Society Program thanks Marilyn and Michael Glosserman for their generous support of the Future of Sports conversation series.

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