Former US president Donald Trump criticized the 2024 Summer Olympics starting service as a disgraceful scene in particular, and specifically the description of a picture that resembled that from Final Supper.
The feedback marked the most recent work by the 2024 Republican presidential nomination to combine politics with sports and echoed another right-wing figures across Europe as well as Egyptian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
From regional competitions to the Olympic Games, sports events help to build up regional and national pride and serve as a strong platform for political and cultural statements. Local US sports teams and events are deeply embedded in American identification, aside from international competitions.
Their monetization into billion-dollar companies, alongside associated media, marketing, playing, and other industries, has not only increased their level but also added pressure to avoid controversies that threaten income.
Trump’s relationship with major US sports leagues and leisure companies has previously involved political maneuvering and financial interests. In order to gain economic and political advantage, he has fought or attempted to join established British sports teams.
By doing so, he has disrupted the security of the US home sports field, upsetting the standard balance of food and circuses in the country. Any issue with Trump could cause problems for some local leagues, which might have greater consequences if Trump is elected. The US Olympic group competes in Paris.
LeBron James, the torchbearer of the USA at the Olympics, fast found himself in a fight with Donald Trump, who traded remark-makings with him on social media and in the media. Many in the NBA echoed James’s mood.
Trump frequently exchanged letters with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban throughout his name while the Golden State Warriors ‘ refusal to accept Trump’s offer to the White House following his win the 2016–17 NBA finals.
Trump used the 2019 season to condemn the NBA and blame the democratic left for their lack of patriotism. That time, Daryl Morey, next general manager of the Houston Rockets, tweeted in support of the Hong Kong pro-democracy demonstrations, leading to backlash in China.
Due to China’s growing market share, the NBA attempted to minimize the problem in order to protect its reputation. Trump criticized Adam Silver, the league’s inspector, for teasing Beijing. In the aftermath, NBA exhibition game in China were canceled, partners paused talks, and broadcast were suspended.
Liberal-minded gamers and some of the more conventional or politically neutral fans have long been issues with the NBA’s handling of private social and political issues, along with growing international sensitivities. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, an NBA player, began chanting the country’s music in 1996 to rally US foreign policy.
His choice resulted in a disqualification and sanctions until he compromised by standing for the song but silently praying during it. The NBA point guard left the team a few years later to enjoy abroad after being traded the following year and having less time to play. The incident had an adverse impact on the reputation of the NBA across different areas because it had been dishonestly handled.
Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Trump criticized players and the NBA for allowing gamers to sit for the music and use social justice messages on jerseys. Trump claimed that the NBA was undermining its fans by creating a stir among itself.
Trump and the NFL have engaged in similar altercations. By the time Trump assumed office in 2017, the NFL was attempting to manage the fallout over Colin Kaepernick, who had begun kneeling during the anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality the previous season. Many people speculated that his political stance was a factor in why he eventually left as a free agent.
Trump blasted Kaepernick and the NFL’s response to other players who had stepped up in response to the situation by exploiting it. The league’s cultivation of military and patriotic symbolism, far more than other leagues, made it particularly vulnerable to Kaepernick’s protest. Ratings, attendance, and sales were slashed in the aftermath of the$ 1.5 million lawsuit involving Kaepernick.
Although a compromise was reached in 2018 that allowed players to remain in the locker room during the duration of the national anthem, the controversy erupted again in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd, before largely subsiding under Biden.
Trump’s tensions with the NFL date back to the 1980s. Trump purchased the New Jersey Generals, a team in the newly established United States Football League ( USFL ), in 1983 after having been deliberated over purchasing NFL teams.
Trump pushed for an autumn schedule for the USFL, which previously played in the spring and summer, to compete with the NFL. The USFL then filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL in 1986 for monopolizing TV broadcast rights and preventing the USFL from securing contracts and stadium leases.
The USFL received only a symbolic$ 1 in damages despite winning the antitrust lawsuit, which precipitated the USFL’s demise later that year. However, the USFL’s dissolution helped to stifle the NFL’s 1987 players ‘ strike, which tarnished the league’s reputation and ended its regular season. It also gave NFL players more leverage in negotiations.
The NFL has since achieved unprecedented success, establishing itself as the most-watched domestic league and one of the most powerful sports leagues in the world. Trump has consistently advocated alternatives in response to this.
The former president was a fixture at South Florida college football games. And in 2020, the XFL, a rival league, was founded by longtime Trump ally Vince McMahon, merging with a reincarnated USFL in 2023 to form the United Football League ( UFL ), which Trump has endorsed.
Trump has n’t supported any NBA alternatives, and the UFL has yet to have a significant impact. In contrast, weakened NBA standing and reputation might be used as a means of eroding its global standing in the face of the increasingly competitive EuroLeague and Chinese Basketball Association.
Major League Baseball ( MLB ) has occasionally caught some of Trump’s ire, though tamer in comparison to the NBA or NFL. Trump abruptly resisted making the decision in 2020 despite being invited and showing interest in throwing the first pitch at a Yankees game.
Following the league’s relocation of its All-Star Game out of Georgia due to the state’s voting regulations, Trump demanded a boycott of the MLB shortly after taking office. Trump meanwhile took a more neutral stance with the National Hockey League ( NHL).
Trump has spent decades playing sports outside of the top four domestic sports leagues. Trump has established friendships with major players like Tiger Woods and invested in expensive golf courses since the late 1990s.
Initially, Trump cultivated ties with the Professional Golfers Association ( PGA ), as well as the smaller United States Golf Association ( USGA ) and PGA of America, leading to several tournaments being hosted at his golf courses.
However, after he took office as president, these relationships started to become more complicated, and ties between them most severely ended in the year 2021. In an effort to maintain his influence in the sport, Trump has since backed LIV Golf, a new league launched in 2021 and supported by Saudi funds.
Boxing has similarly been a major area of Trump’s involvement in sports. Numerous renowned boxing matches took place at Trump casinos and properties in the 1980s. Trump forged close relationships with figures like Mike Tyson and Don King as well as the World Boxing Council ( WBC ).
However, as the sport declined in popularity and Trump faced significant financial losses in the 1990s, his connections to the sport diminished – though he still has had some involvement since leaving office.
The former president also made an effort to attract more NASCAR fans while he was president, and he attended Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Coca-Cola 600 race in May 2024.
Trump has consistently found the most support in World Wrestling Entertainment ( WWE), which was formerly the World Wrestling Federation, and Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC). At the 2024 Republican National Convention in July, Trump was introduced by WWE star Hulk Hogan and later UFC chief executive Dana White.
Both the former US president’s allies are well-known. Since the 1980s, Trump has been well-known for his connections to wrestling, including hosting significant tournaments, and Dana White spoke about their 25-year friendship in his RNC address. In 2023, TKO Group Holdings was founded after both organizations merged.
The UFC’s meteoric rise in recent years has made it an even more valuable ally than Trump has long been able to count on it for business and publicity. Dana White is a good ally because she has spoken at both the 2016 and 2020 conventions in her support.
Trump frequently interacted with Dana White and other UFC figures during his presidency, elevating the league’s status as well as that of the former president.
Donald Trump Jr. organized a statewide bus tour in Florida in conjunction with the UFC to support his 2020 reelection campaign, which included appearances from Senator Marco Rubio and other local politicians. Trump has attended numerous major UFC events since losing the election.
One of his first major public appearances after leaving office in 2021 came in July of that year at UFC 264 to an enthusiastic crowd in Las Vegas. He and Dana White met Mike Tyson at UFC 287 in June 2023, and they did the same thing in Newark, New Jersey, at UFC 302 in July 2024.
Its potential for more growth has grown in value in addition to the UFC’s significant growth over the past 30 years. Its financial power became more apparent in 2023 when Bud Light paid the organization more than$ 100 million to become its official beer. Following a boycott of the beverage following its partnership with transgender liberal influencer Dylan Mulvaney, the decision was made in order to re-enter the brand.
In February 2024, Trump stated that Anheuser-Busch’s boardroom days deserved” a second chance,” which was undoubtedly a relief.
Sports leagues have n’t always been prompted to adopt a defensive stance because of Trump’s ire and attempts to inflict conservative hostility. After the US women’s soccer team refused a visit to the White House and some players chose not to sing the country’s anthem, he made offensive remarks toward the US women’s soccer team in 2019 and 2023 and Megan Rapinoe, the star player.
Trump’s comments have only helped elevate the National Women’s Soccer League ( NWSL), which has seen enormous growth since he took office. In response to public pressure, the NBA and NFL eventually agreed to allow players to kneel for the anthem in 2020.
billionaires are drawn to the lucrative sports teams that have recently become a reality due to the high returns in recent years. Nevertheless, many owners and leagues breathed a sigh of relief when Trump left office. Another increase in commercial sports ‘ politicization is likely if elected once more.
With the UFC poised to play a significant role in a potential second term, Trump will likely attempt to co-opt friendly domestic sports leagues, teams, and individuals to further his platform and financial position. Conversely, by agitating unfriendly sports entities, Trump seeks to weaken their ability to confront him.
The former president’s major project appears to be a significant one because of his political influence and ability to affect their bottom line. Although Trump’s interactions with major sports leagues are incredibly political, financial factors play a significant role in how they are handled.
Ari Emanuel, for example, is the CEO of Endeavor, which owns TKO Group Holdings, and is also the brother of Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s former chief of staff and Biden’s pick for U. S. ambassador to Japan.
Trump is renowned for his adaptability, despite his contentious history with major sports leagues. In order to aid his efforts to reopen the nation after the Covid-19 pandemic, he naturally sought out influential allies like Vince McMahon, Dana White, and Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft from the NFL.
Additionally, the” Opening Up America Again” approach also included NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and Mark Cuban. Trump’s faith in the power of financial leverage to influence American sports will only be put to the test once more in a potential second term.
John P. Ruehl, an Australian-American journalist who covers international affairs for the Independent Media Institute, is a native of Washington, DC. He is a contributor to several foreign affairs publications and his book” Budget Superpower: How Russia Challenges the West With an Economy Smaller Than Texas ‘ ‘ was published in December 2022.
This article was produced by Economy for All, an Independent Media Institute initiative, and is kindly republished.