But sports have taken a backseat in light of the global pandemic and anti-racism protests spurred on by the unjust shootings and deaths of Black people at the hands of police in 2020. It has led to some intense conversations at home between my dad and I, along with my mom and my siblings. We’ve even discussed what we feel athletes and leagues can do to be proactive and take action during this weird time.
Ultimately, whatever had to be done would have to affect the pocketbook of those who truly carry the most influence on lawmakers and professional sports owners. Athletes like LeBron James would have to be at the forefront of change for their respective sport.
But whenever the NHL comes up in conversation, my dad usually scoffs. The NHL? The last bastion for white people in sport? They’ve proven to be behind the eight-ball in their treatment of Black players in the past, so why should they be taken seriously with their attempts at supporting Black Lives Matter? Do they even care?
I am thankful to cover the sport as part of my living, while also enjoying games as a general fan. As much as I would like to see the league make more strides in treating other players of colour with respect, the NHL is proving my father right.
Some may feel disappointed at the league continuing to play games as other professional men’s and women’s leagues opted to postpone games in light of Jacob Blake being shot seven times by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. But there’s a general sense of apathy that has also fallen, almost as if the league’s inaction was to be expected. Read More