ABSTRACT
The following chapter seeks to examine the financial implications of athlete activism, focusing on athletes and corporations. Research suggests that athletes engaging in potentially risky forms of activism can hurt organizations like Nike, thus hurting the athletes’ potential earnings. For instance, Colin Kaepernick lost sponsors when he kneeled to protest the treatment of people of color in America in 2016. In a less publicized, but still impactful moment of activism, Olympic hammer thrower Gwen Berry lost grants from the U.S. Track and Field governing body after raising her fist in the air (akin to John Carlos and Tommie Smith) at the Pan-American in 2019. While the athletes are impacted, corporations like Nike are also feeling the ripple effects of an athlete engaging in activism as their stocks have declined and increased after an athlete questions the status quo in a public manner. Using case studies from recent athlete activists, the chapter seeks to examine the question: What are the financial implications for athletes engaging in activism?
