All sports face issues away from the game, and some sports respond more effectively than others. The NBA’s response has helped the sport flourish.
The NBA is slowly growing to become America’s favorite sport. Currently, pro basketball ranks third in popularity behind the NFL and MLB. One reason the NBA’s fan base is growing is that it has become an international sport–popular in Europe and Asia–as foreign countries send players to America and fans there follow the sport.
But with growth, there are growing pains. Two stand out currently–how the league is handling the Coronavirus and racism.
On the virus front, the NBA created a “bubble” for games to be played in a single location, Orlando, FL. Fans ‘attended’ games virtually. Although the arrangement was far from ideal, it’s fair to say that it worked.
Concerning racism, the NBA has been front and center in the fight to end racism. The league has made it clear where it stands, and players have voiced opinions, too. Many players joined the Black Lives Matter movement, and others decided not to play this year because they felt playing would be a distraction from injustices taking place across America. And many who played displayed how they felt, including kneeling during the playing of The National Anthem, wearing clothing with victims’ names, and voicing supportive opinions.
As Purdue’s Eric Hunter Jr. put it, “The players are doing a good job of letting situations of social injustice be known to the world. Half of the battle is people knowing the severity of what’s going on.”
There’s no doubt that all sports face issues away from play. Some sports respond more effectively than others. The NBA’s response has helped the sport flourish.
