Does Protest “Distract” Athletes from Performing?: Evidence from the National Anthem Demonstrations in the National Football League

Abstract

While there is a long tradition of activism within sport, a frequent criticism of athlete protest is that it is a “distraction” that hinders on-field performance. In 2017, in the midst of widespread demonstrations against racial injustice in the U.S. among players in the National Football League (NFL), the sports community reprised the “it’s a distraction” refrain. Using data drawn from multiple sources, we first explore which factors related to players’ likelihood of protesting. Then, using a series of analyses at the player-game level (n=19,051) and the team-game level (n=512), we tested the assertion that protest is detrimental to individual and team performance. The results of this study allow us to better understand factors that may constrain professional athletes’ participation in protest and challenge a common form of rhetoric used to discourage athlete activism.