The NAACP is calling on Black athletes, alumni, fans and the general public to boycott the athletic programs of public universities in states that aim to redistrict longtime Black lawmakers
WASHINGTON — The NAACP is calling on Black athletes and fans to boycott the athletic programs of public universities in states that are taking steps that the nation's oldest civil rights group says are restricting Black voting rights.
Launched on Tuesday, the “Out of Bounds” campaign urges prospective Black athletes, their families, alumni and fans to “withhold athletic and financial support” from major public universities in states that “have moved to limit, weaken or erase Black voting representation. ” If Black athletes participate in the boycott, it could deplete rosters for powerhouse football and basketball programs across the Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference.
The NAACP is among groups responding to a wave of gerrymandering in the aftermath of a Supreme Court ruling that winnowed a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The boycott comes as civil rights activists have mobilized across the South to protest redistricting plans by Republican state legislatures that eliminate majority-Black congressional districts after the high court's ruling.
Activists have looked for pressure points to dissuade GOP-led states from redistricting maps, including calls for mass protests and economic boycotts.
“Across the South, Black athletes have helped build some of the most profitable college athletic programs in America,” said NAACP President Derrick Johnson. Johnson noted that the programs “generate hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue, national television value, alumni donations, merchandising sales, ticket sales, and brand equity — much of it powered by Black football and basketball talent.
” The NAACP’s campaign calls out Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and South Carolina as states to boycott, arguing that the athletic programs of those states' flagship universities are especially reliant on Black athletic talent and should protect Black political interests.
“Black athletes should not be asked to generate wealth, prestige, and power for state institutions while those same states strip political power from Black communities,” said Johnson. Black lawmakers themselves are also putting pressure on athletic leagues to take action against Republican-led states that may redistrict longtime Black members of Congress.and ACC athletic conferences, as well as NCAA President Charlie Baker, that its members will oppose the SCORE Act, a bill to standardize athletes’ contracting rights across the country, unless conference leaders oppose GOP-led redistricting efforts in states that include major conference members.
“The Congressional Black Caucus believes institutions that profit from Black talent and Black communities have a responsibility to stand with those communities when their fundamental rights are under attack," the CBC said in a Monday statement. “Silence in the face of injustice is not neutrality — it is complicity. ”2027 Mock Draft: Arch Manning No. 1 Overall? 5 QBs Go in First Round2027 Mock Draft: Arch Manning No. 1 Overall? 5 QBs Go in First RoundFOX SPORTS™, SPEED™, SPEED.
COM™ & © 2026 Fox Media LLC and Fox Sports Interactive Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Use of this website constitutes your acceptance of these
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
What Wins and What Loses the Game For Houston vs. Southern Next SeasonThe countdown for what looks to be an exciting 2026 football season for Houston is on, with just under four months until kickoff at TDECU Stadium. The Cougars
Read more »
Breezy conditions continue across Southern Arizona through MondayBreezy to windy conditions continue across Southern Arizona through Monday as Tucson warms into the upper 80s and overnight lows fall into the 50s and 60s.
Read more »
NAACP calls for boycott of Southern college sports programs over voting rightsThe NAACP is calling on Black athletes, alumni, fans and the general public to boycott the athletic programs of public universities in states that aim to redistrict longtime Black lawmakers.
Read more »
NAACP calls for boycott of Southern college sports programs over voting rightsThe NAACP is calling on Black athletes, alumni, fans and the general public to boycott the athletic programs of public universities in states that aim to redistrict longtime Black lawmakers.
Read more »