Sporting & Ethics: Synopsis

A synopsis on ethics and the sporting industry. Was the treatment of Colin Kaepernick justified?

Families in America gather around religion, holidays, and sports — with some coalescing concurrently (Thanksgiving and football) . On a grander scale, the Olympics bring the world together for spectatorship, despite pandemics and war. And similar to how we used to pledge allegiance in grade school, today, as adults, we pledge our allegiance to our favorite sporting teams. Via marketing successive outreach and high-viewership, sports and sporting events in a sense, influence our thoughts, which — more-so — invariably shape the foundation of our very belief ideology.

Sporting entertainment, similarly to religion and holidays, wield a high degree of influence in our life’s affairs. For example, roughly 25% of newspaper content is dedicated to sporting, and universities realize upwards of 18% increases in college applicants when their teams perform favorably. Conversely, those subscribed to the ‘big 4’ religions (Judaism, Christianity, etc..) spend a significant portion of (1 out every 7 days) for worship. Moreover, Sunday football ensues shortly thereafter Mass — ironic, but I digress.

With money and viewership comes influence. And sports players have a great deal of influence in our lives, especially considering the proliferation of social media platforms and its inherent scope of influence possessed by the industry therein. Fiscal malfeasance, cheating, and drugs have plagued the sporting industry since man discovered pugilism. And cheating will persist as long as man continues to compete with one and another. Thus it can be conjectured that both ethical and unethical behavior stems from one’s onus; or perhaps the driving idiosyncrasy that motivates one from within.

Although sports participation has many positive effects for the athlete, it has its caveats. For instance, national sporting provides a domestic social platform wherein influencers sway public opinion via Twitter and Instagram. Colin Kaepernick leveraged this very platform to convey solidarity, symbolizing his — and, to an extent, the black communities — misappreciation for modern policing. Kaepernick’s knee during the pledge of allegiance — symbiotically justified or not justified — was largely politicized by the media. [1]

Notwithstanding one’s dissertation of the black community in relation to policing — and irrespective if the affair is public, private, or professional — the pervading social uproar following Colin Kaepernick was egregiously misaligned. Not withstanding credulity, given that ‘credibility’ is a concept granted when people trust the entity requisite merit, one can conjecture that the the media and NFL’s incredulous vilification of Kaepernick should not have occurred — ever. Therein, Kaepernick should still be allowed to ‘throw pig skin’. The treatment and management of professional athletics should not be politicized. Players play games and politicians do the same. The media has a love affair for those who play (hint, Trump) —And unfortunately Colin is the victim its collateral damage.

Sources:

CBC: Colin Kaepernick NFL Workout Moved

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/nfl/colin-kaepernick-nfl-workout-moved-nov-16-1.5362496