As the surge of social justice-driven protests across America enters its fourth month, the world of sports has once again taken center stage in the Black Lives Matter movement.
Following an incident in late August in which Kenosha police officer Rusten Shesky fired seven shots into the back of Jacob Blake, athletes from all major American professional leagues and multiple prominent college programs boycotted practices and games to raise awareness and push team owners, league administrators and fans toward action. While athletes have played a role in the Black Lives Matter movement since its inception — most commonly by kneeling during the national anthem — the recent wave of collective team actions entered uncharted territory as the first of such protests to force game postponements in several professional leagues.