In September 2020, the NCAA Division 1 Council announced the cancellation of all practicing and competing activities on the first Tuesday of November not only this year, but every year to follow. This measure was put in place to encourage athletes, students, coaches and fans to make their way to the polls on election day with no excuses regarding their athletic obligations.  

The sporting world is full of politics. Social issues are normalized and emphasized through the way sports are played and portrayed in the media. An example of this is gender inequality. The sports world further normalizes the ideas of gender inequality by giving women’s sports far less coverage and advertising than men. Sports culture has evolved so much that professional athletes have become idolized by society. With such platforms and fan bases, they are essentially given the responsibility to speak on social issues in society, turning their culture into a political platform. 

With the cancellation of all athletic events on election day, the NCAA further highlights the presence of politics in sports culture, using their platform to encourage fans, athletes, coaches and students to go out and vote.  

Signature: Marly MacDonald 

Featured image: NCAA logo