SALT LAKE CITY — This year alone, a number of incidents have occurred at Utah sporting venues involving inappropriate fan behavior directed at athletes.
On Friday morning, a video PSA was released featuring 18 athletes and coaches in the Beehive State as part of the Utah Jazz’s launch of the “Lead Together” initiative, which has the goal of “cultivating and promoting a community culture of inclusion and belonging.”
“Inside these lines, it’s all about winning, but some lines can never be crossed, because no one wins when respect goes away,” the video starts, with different athletes and coaches appearing to say short snippets. “We need to take responsibility when the words we hear cause pain, anger and divisiveness. Be mindful of what you say. If you hear something wrong, offensive or hateful, speak up.
This is our state. It starts here, in our house. Opposing teams are not our enemies. They are our competition. Stand for our teams, but don’t stand for racism, don’t stand for hate of any kind. We can change the game in a way that’s more positive, more inclusive, more empowering and just as loud.”
Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell then is shown saying, “So I’m taking the lead,” which is repeated by five other athletes, including three in other languages, after which Mitchell says, “and you can, too,” after which the video says, “and fight against discrimination and inequality and injustice and racism, because if we all take the lead together, hate falls behind.”
The Jazz announced that the video will be played in sporting venues across the state.
“Everyone who walks through the doors of a sporting event, whether it’s a fan, staff member, coach, player, or guest, should expect courtesy, respect, common decency and civility,” Jazz owner Gail Miller said in a press release announcing the initiative. “We are united in our values, and we’re all joining together as citizens of our communities and the state of Utah to make a clear statement about who we are and what we’re about. Words matter. No one wins when respect goes away.”
In the minutes after the video was posted on Twitter by the Jazz, numerous people involved in athletics in Utah wrote messages on the social media platform endorsing it.
“Grateful for the Utah Jazz “Taking the Lead” on this extremely important initiative,” BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe wrote. “I love the state of Utah and BYU Athletics is proud to join in the effort!”
A message from the Utah High School Activities Association’s account read: “We stand with the @utahjazz and other sports organizations in Utah to #LeadTogether in cultivating a community culture of inclusion and belonging.”
The initiative follows one created by New England sports teams, and the Jazz consulted with executives from the Boston Red Sox and the president of the Boston branch of the NAACP, Tanisha M. Sullivan, as well as local leaders.
The “Lead Together” initiative will be part of the Junior Jazz program’s message of sportsmanship, fair play and respect on the court, and the Jazz are planning to conduct a series of “Let’s Talk” town hall events “for community education and outreach on diversity, inclusion and belonging with actionable steps that can be taken by both individuals and organizations.”
In March, two people were banned from Vivint Arena after two separate racially charged incidents directed at then-Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, which prompted Miller to share an impassioned plea for greater civility before a Jazz home game a few days later. In September, an individual was banned from all Real Salt Lake venues and National Women’s Soccer League games for shouting racial slurs at Portland Thorns FC goalkeeper Adrianna Franch.
Just last Sunday, a Twitter user sent a profanity laced direct message on Twitter to Arizona State Sun Devils defensive back Evan Fields after Fields was disqualified for targeting the day before against the Utah Utes. After Fields’ mother posted a screenshot of the message on Twitter on Thursday morning, Utes athletic director Mark Harlan posted an apology on Twitter in the afternoon.