With the overturn of Roe v. Wade and questions about immigration and inflation still being a major issue, there is much at stake for the American people during the 2024 presidential election.
On July 21, 2024, President Joe Biden announced that he was withdrawing from the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement.
Since then, many A-list celebrities and athletes have endorsed Vice President Harris as she would break barriers and history as the first woman to be the commander-in-chief. Taylor Swift, who is arguably the biggest celebrity on the planet, endorsed Kamala Harris immediately after the presidential debate. Since her endorsement, over 337,000 people have registered to vote.
WNBA player Caitlin Clark – who is a superstar in her own right with a major following, received backlash from her fans for simply liking Taylor Swift’s endorsement post.
Many fans share the opinion that athletes should stay out of politics as a whole, but other fans argue that it’s only a problem when it’s a political stance fans don’t agree with. The public often sees athletes as “invincible” superstars since they are uniquely gifted and make an overwhelming amount of money and fail to see the human aspect that comes to them.
NBA superstar Stephen Curry recently endorsed Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention specifically because women’s rights are a top concern for him. Unfortunately, this left a “sour taste” for some of his fan base citing that he needs to stick to just chucking up threes.
Athletes are blessed to have a major platform with millions of followers so I think it’s important that they inspire their followers to not only vote but to do their research and educate themselves since much is at stake in November.
As the 2024 election approaches, many athletes are taking a step back, opting for silence over political noise. These cautious approaches reflect desires to protect brand contracts and avoid alienation of fans.
Superstars like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have championed social justice but tread carefully when it comes to endorsing a specific politician, preferring to spotlight issues rather than parties. Similarly, NFL icons such as Tom Brady, Lamar Jackson and Aaron Rodgers keep their political views under wraps, focusing on their game instead of the campaign trail. After all, a Hail Mary bomb is much safer than a political hot take.
Even tennis legends like Serena Williams and Roger Federer tend to sidestep direct political endorsements. They highlight important social issues but avoid the potential fallout that comes with endorsing political figures.
Moreover, the volatile nature of social media amplifies this aversion the most. One misstep can lead to a PR nightmare, causing athletes such as golfer Phil Mickelson who criticized his golfing league [Liv Golf] for supporting the Saudi Arabia government. Other examples include NBA star Carmelo Anthony who participated in the Black Lives Matter movement and social justice issues and NFL star Baker Mayfield who during the pandemic criticized the COVID-19 vaccine. All these athletes have been faced with much backlash from their sporting communities on issues of political influence.
In an era where divisiveness is rampant, many athletes have firmly believed that silence is the best strategy. By steering clear of political endorsements, they maintain their focus on their sport, demonstrating that sometimes, it’s best to leave politics out of the game. As the election heats up, this strong stance against political involvement reflects a broader trend in the athletic world. Personal brand preservation takes precedence over political activism.
Kelly Whiteside, a sports communication professor at Montclair State University who was a sports journalist at USA Today and who covered the Olympics, the World Cup and national college games, gave her opinion on whether or not athletes should be open about their political stances. She said it’s up to individual athletes to share their political stances.
“It depends on the professional athlete if they are comfortable in that space or not,’’ Whiteside said. “There’s more to athletes than what goes on in the playing field. It’s somebody who has opinions just like any other person.”
