Whether it’s helping bring down Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, marching against their club’s owners at Tottenham or pushing back against plans to commercialize football, fan protest stories remind us that fan activism is more than just a fad.
In the era of the Civil Rights Movement, Black fans used their passion for sports as a powerful tool of nonviolent protest. They boycotted professional sports teams that segregated seating, pressed city leaders to integrate their stadiums, and even organized marches to support their cause. They also kept their protests alive through the Black press, where writers like Jim Hall, Marcel Hopson and Marion Jackson helped them maintain their momentum.
Gloria Jimenez, co-founder of Angel City Brigade, an LA Galaxy supporters group, remained silent for a full game’s worth of the team’s recent home match against Vancouver in an act of solidarity with Southern California Latino communities impacted by immigration raids carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In doing so, they joined a growing movement of fans using their clubs as a platform for social change.
When writing about people who take part in a protest, it’s important to focus on the person’s personal characteristics — including their hobbies and family — to help readers connect with them and to promote positive attitudes toward underrepresented groups. This technique is known as “framing,” and it can be especially effective for news media coverage of sports-related protests. It’s an essential tool for journalists covering a sports-related story involving a controversial issue or controversy.