For major American sports leagues that long have taken pains to stay out of divisive issues around race and social activism, the past few years have seen a remarkable awakening.
Top leagues and their multimillionaire stars have come out forcefully and publicly against police brutality and gun violence, and just as strongly in support of L.G.B.T.Q. causes and the right of their players to kneel during the national anthem. Players have spoken at protest marches, and leagues have bankrolled new social-justice efforts. In Georgia, a professional women’s basketball team actively campaigned against its owner, a sitting Republican Senator, before last year’s November elections, and in doing so helped flip control of the chamber to Democrats.