The Underworld of Racism in American Professional Sports

In the last few decades we have seen a major shift in American sports when it comes to race. Today the NBA and NFL players that are in these leagues are predominately African American. These owners saw the potential of this money maker and jumped at it in a heartbeat. In business this is like hitting the jackpot.

I can't speak on all owners and how they feel about their African American players and fans. But what I can say, we as a society are still facing some type of racism and non-acceptance in the world of American sports today. The divide is the underworld that most of us aren't exposed to on a daily basis. So some of these practices aren't put to light for many to see.

We've just witnessed disgraced former owner of the Los Angeles Clippers Donald Sterling go on record and tell his young companion that he doesn't want her with blacks and that he's the reason why they have their houses and cars meaning his players. If that's not ignorant I don't know what is. Also who doesn't love Magic Johnson?

Now with the news coming out of Atlanta that another NBA owner Bruce Levenson sent out a e-mail two years ago to his counterparts that he wants to change up how the team is running its operations. I get it and understand him as a businessman that he wants to get more whites to become season ticket holders. In the end it's all about the dollar.

But here's the problem many of us have with him and his insensitive comments about blacks. He goes off to say how they don't root for the players and they are always on their cell phones at halftime. Also that they come to games late which I see as just such a stereotype and it comes off harsh.

But the best is yet to come people. Levenson talks about how whites don't want to mingle with blacks. They don't feel comfortable with the overcrowding of the race and the playing of constant hip-hop music. First off, did he forget he was owning a Atlanta Hawks team which has a city population that is predominately African Americans.

The excuse of when he was in D.C. that their was less of a black audience than in Atlanta is just shows he doesn't get it. Obviously there will be less blacks at games in Washington because for one tickets are usually a bit cheaper there compared to Atlanta. So you'll get more of a turnout of African Americans to come to your games if the tickets are affordable. That's saying even if his statement is even true.

It makes me laugh in disgust that Levenson saying that he came forward with the e-mail because it was the right thing to do. This is all a lie and we all can read between the lines. He only came forward because he was going to get caught. It's that simple!

Levenson will be selling his controlling interest of the Atlanta Hawks because of the e-mail. In his statement he says "the NBA has zero tolerance for racism" and there is no room for it. That's what he believes in.