SALT LAKE CITY — The Milwaukee Bucks’ decision to not take the court for their game against the Orlando Magic Wednesday set off a chain reaction, as numerous teams and leagues around the country followed suit.
The decisions come in the wake of the shooting of Jacob Blake by police officers on Sunday in Kenosha, Wisconsin, which is 40 miles outside of Milwaukee.
Major League Baseball
First, numerous outlets reported that Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds jointly decided to not play their game in Milwaukee.
The Brewers shared a joint statement from both Milwaukee and Cincinnati players: “The players from the Brewers and the Reds have decided to not play tonight’s baseball game. With our community and our nation in such pain, we wanted to draw as much attention to the issues that really matter, especially racial injustice and systemic oppression.”
Major League Baseball later released a statement, regarding not only the cancellation of the Red-Brewers games, but two other games as well: between the Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres, and the San Francisco Giants against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Given the pain in the communities of Wisconsin and beyond following the shooting of Jacob Blake, we respect the decisions of a number of players not to play tonight. Major League Baseball remains united for change in our society and we will be allies in the fight to end racism and injustice,” the statement read.
Major League Soccer
The Los Angeles Times’ Kevin Baxter first reported that “there appears to be little desire” for Major League Soccer to not play its games Wednesday, but by the evening, all had been called off except for one which was in progress. Real Salt Lake was scheduled to take on LAFC at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy at 7:30 p.m. MDT. According to the league, the postponed games — which included matchups between Miami-Atlanta, Dallas-Colorado, RSL-LAFC, San Jose-Portland and LA Galaxy-Seattle — will be rescheduled.
“The entire Major League Soccer family is deeply saddened and horrified by the senseless shooting of Jacob Blake and events in Kenosha. We continue to stand with the Black community throughout our country — including our players and employees — and share in their pain, anger and frustration,” the league said in a statement, according to ESPN.
“MLS unequivocally condemns racism and has always stood for equality, but we need to do more to take tangible steps to impact change. We will continue to work with our players, our clubs and the broader soccer community to harness our collective power to fight for equality and social justice.”
Women’s National Basketball Association
ESPN’s Holly Rowe, who is inside the WNBA’s bubble in Orlando, first reported that it had not been decided if that league’s Wednesday games will be played, but then players later opted to not play. The three games postponed include games between the Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics, the Los Angeles Sparks and Minnesota Lynx and the Connecticut Sun and Phoenix Mercury.
“We stand in solidarity with our brothers in the NBA and will continue this conversation with our brothers and sisters across all leagues and look to take collective action,” the Dream’s Elizabeth Williams said, according to ESPN. “What we have seen over the last few months, and most recently with the brutal police shooting of Jacob Blake, is overwhelming. And while we hurt for Jacob and his community, we also have an opportunity to keep the focus on the issues and demand change.”
National Hockey League
Canadian National Hockey League reporter Chris Johnston reported that “moments of reflection” would take place before games between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars. The NHL has its bubble in Toronto and Edmonton, Canada.
Tennis
Professional women’s tennis player Naomi Osaka, a two-time Grand Slam winner, announced she will not play her semifinal match at the Western & Southern Open in protest.
“Before I am a athlete, I am a Black woman. And as a Black woman I feel as though there are much more important matters at hand that need immediate attention, rather than watching me play tennis,” she said in a statement shared on Twitter. “I don’t expect anything drastic to happen with me not playing, but if I can get a conversation started in a majority white sport I consider that a step in the right direction.”