This Week in Sports and Social Issues: RIP “Stick to Sports”

I am passionate about the intersection of sports and social issues. Led by athletes, people throughout the sports world are finding their voices and using them to elevate important conversations and advocate for change in society. Each week I’ll share links to excellent reporting tackling this important issue.

• ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit on Saturday’s College Gameday produced one of most emotional and impactful moments in the network’s history, breaking down while discussing racial injustice.

• CNN’s Kerry Flynn took an excellent look at the evolution of sports media outlets and reporters on the (tired) question of whether to “stick to sports.”

• This in-depth feature from Candace Buckner of The Washington Post on the evolution of Georgia Senator and WNBA team owner Kelly Loeffler “from hoops junkie to WNBA villain” following her criticism of WNBA players’ support for the Black Lives Matter movement and social justice is a must-read.

• The Washington Post has also distinguished itself with its investigative reporting into workplace issues surrounding the Washington Football Team under owner Dan Snyder. Will Hobson has been leading this effort since the initial story broke in July, with help from veteran colleague Liz Clarke and others in the Post’s stellar sports department.

• The US Open tennis tournament began this week, an event that will always be close to my heart since it’s where I began my career. So it was great to see former champion Naomi Osaka emerge as a leader on social justice issues, wearing a masks bearing the names of Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain and Ahmaud Arbery to the court for her first three matches.