Abstract:
This thesis examines in what ways responses to anti-racism protests within the National
Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), and National Hockey
League (NHL), by athletes and the sports leagues themselves have illustrated the strengths
and limitations of athletic activism in the Black Lives Matter (BLM) era. This thesis uses the
NFL, NBA, and NHL as case studies considering them as individual aspects as well as in
relation to each other. Through the examination of the history of athlete activism and the
backlash to, (dis)continuity in, and effectiveness of athletic activism, the strengths and
limitations of each league will be discussed. The case studies have shown that the strengths
and limitations of athlete activism in the BLM era are linked to the sports leagues the activist
are connected to. The three sports leagues differ in the way they are being managed and
watched by fans, all of which has influenced the way in which these leagues have been able
to interact with protests. The NBA receives a relatively high support from the league’s
executives and fans, which results in influential actions of protests. However, the NFL and
NHL are not supported by either fans or executives which results in a poor athlete activism
performance.
