During the Civil Rights Movement, Black fans turned their passion for sports into a powerful nonviolent weapon. They marched, boycotted games, plastered their communities with banners, and called for players to stand up for their beliefs. Their protests, led by black sportswriters like Jim Hall, helped change the makeup of professional sports in the South. When the Houston Oilers refused to integrate their stadium in 1961, fans voted with their wallets and withheld their dollars until segregation ended.
These days, a growing number of sports teams have seen the value of allowing their fans to protest on behalf of social justice issues and have made the decision to permit such demonstrations at home and away matches. However, other leagues and individual teams have been less willing to let fans use their voices at the expense of patriotism or commercial interests. The NFL’s handling of the Colin Kaepernick controversy is an example of this. It also underscores how the issue of fan protest can be framed by those with power to shape the debate.
As a journalist covering a sporting event that includes fan protest, it is important to remember that these are not just troublemakers but active citizens who want to make positive social changes. The way the story is told can impact the audience’s attitude toward both the protesters and the issues they are addressing. For example, a story that humanizes the teenager whose death sparked a protest leads people to have more positive attitudes toward the person and the protesters. On the other hand, stories that criminalize the teenager or the protesters lead people to have more negative attitudes toward both.