Opinion: Football players who #TakeAKnee should find a different way to protest

Football games used to be a common, uniting event in the United States. Regardless of the reason or the skill, everyone is loyal to at least one team. However, with the rise of protests throughout the National Football League, this once common denominator has become a point of contention.

Since last year, many players have chosen to protest police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem rather than standing with their fellow teammates. Their goal is to draw attention to racial inequality. There are times when it is appropriate to protest, and there are times when it is not. During the national anthem is a time when it is not.

Players’ protests certainly draw attention, but not to the issues at hand, only to themselves and the NFL. Although protests occasionally have to occur to invoke change, boycotting the anthem is only stirring up controversy towards the NFL and denting ticket sales and other channels of revenue for the league.

Ticket sales have noticeably decreased. According to CBS, September sales at TicketCity dropped 16 percent in comparison to last year’s sales. Audience size per game is down 18 percent from last year according to ESPN, causing much concern for NFL owners who are watching declining sales and viewership impact their bottom line.

The players who are passionate about changing situations need to speak out in different ways if they intend to reach the community and take actions that start movement. They should be going to the root of the problem – supporting programs that help the causes they are trying to bring attention to. They should put their resources and efforts into those programs rather than the current national anthem protests.

Even more uncalled for than the stagnant protests is President Donald Trump’s reaction.  Rather than encouraging peace or seeking solutions to the issues brought to attention, Trump encouraged boycotting NFL games and firing or removing players who kneel or refuse to say the pledge of allegiance.

“If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL, or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect our Great American Flag (or Country), if not YOU’RE FIRED. Find something else to do!” Trump tweeted Sept. 23.

Although the protests may be ineffective,  a player’s removal from the team is unnecessary.If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL,or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect….If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL,or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect….If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL,or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect….

The protests are causing more division throughout the nation and unintentionally severing ties with policy leaders who find the protests disrespectful both to the government and the armed forces. If lawmakers are not behind your cause, change is much harder to come by.

Although protesting can be a very effective way to solve social issues, viewers are not tuning into a football game to watch protests and politics, they are there to take a break and watch a game. To truly solve the issues that these players are bringing attention to, there needs to be work done outside of the game with organizations committed to acting upon them. Removal or firing players is a step too far, and name calling does not improve the situation. These players need to understand where are and where are not appropriate settings to protest.

 

 

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nfl-national-anthem-protest-denting-ticket-sales/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nfl-national-anthem-protest-denting-ticket-sales/