Colin Kaepernick and Today’s (Re)Surgence of Athlete Activism: New Media Environment, New Game?

Scholars point to U.S. football quarterback Colin Kaepernick as a key figure in the broader rise of athlete activism since the late 2010s. In the U.S., Kaepernick challenged decades of alleged political apathy among Black athletes, which had been associated with colour-blind racism and the increasing commercialisation of sports. Since Kaepernick-like protests have transcended national borders, an examination of his case can help us understand important historical developments in the re-politicisation of minority athletes internationally. We situate Kaepernick’s activism historically and in relation to changes in the media environment. A media ecology approach allows us to examine a broad range of media strategies that enabled Kaepernick to by-pass conventional media and reach large audiences directly, with messages that gave voice to marginalised perspectives, uncovered the logics of colour-blind racism, underscored its historical and structural underpinnings, and ultimately challenged racist stereotypes and social injustice.