Whether helping bring down Jose Mourinho at Manchester United or pushing back against their club’s owners in Chelsea, fan protest stories remind us that football fans have a long history of using their passion as a tool for change. During the Civil Rights Movement, Black fans boycotted professional sports teams with segregated seating and pressured city leaders to integrate housing, schools and businesses.
Today, fan activism is still a powerful force in the world of sport and entertainment. It has convinced clubs to make changes to their ticket pricing during the coronavirus pandemic, kept “Family Guy” on the air and pushed Paramount Studios to give one more season to beloved “Star Trek.”
For Leslie Jimenez, it all started with her season tickets at Los Angeles Galaxy home games. The leader of the Angel City Brigade, Galaxians and LA Riot Squad has made her voice heard during Galaxy matches for years. But on Friday, she and the rest of her group stayed quiet throughout the match against Vancouver to protest their team’s silence about immigration raids in Southern California’s Latino communities.
When news media report on people who participate in fan activism, they often portray them negatively. To avoid this trap, it’s important to frame the stories in a way that promotes positive attitudes toward the protesters and their causes. That can be done by focusing on a protester’s personality, hobbies and family. By doing so, readers can connect with the person and support their cause.