An empty arena is seen as all NBA playoff games were postponed (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
PHOENIX - A baseball game on August 27 between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies was postponed amid renewed nationwide controversy over police brutality and racial inequality.
In a tweet made by the Colorado Rockies on their verified Twitter page, team officials say their players have decided not to play the game, in solidarity with athletes and sports teams against social injustice.
In a separate tweet, officials with Arizona Diamondbacks say they stand with the Rockies.
A number of baseball games have been postponed on August 27 as a result of racial tensions, including a match between Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers, a match between Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers, and a match between Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays. Some games, however, are being played as scheduled.
A number of professional sports games have been postponed as a result of the police shooting of a Black man in Wisconsin, which has sparked protests in the area.
ASU academic talks about sports and social issues
Athletes speaking up about social issues isn’t a new phenomenon.
"There is some precedent for an organizing boycott or an organized political action, by black athletes specifically, in order to address asocial justice issue," said ASU Barrett Faculty Fellow Dr. Mathew Sandoval.
Dr. Sandoval says like it or not, sports and politics have a long history of intersecting, and he doesn’t believe it will be a one-off thing.
“I feel like what the NBA players did is having real efficacy in the moment, but I also see this as the first part of a wave of action that’s about to come, because as soon as the NBA season is over in September, these players have signaled that they’re going to spend the off-season out on the streets, helping to campaign, to actually make real difference in local elections, state elections, and of course the national election," said Dr. Sandoval.