On Feb. 9 around 8:30 p.m., millions of fans sat in their living rooms, eyes glued to their screens as rapper Kendrick Lamar took the Super Bowl halftime stage. For 13 minutes, fans watched as Lamar commanded the space, delivering a performance that was as visually striking as it was thought-provoking.
For some viewers, it was a powerful, unexpected moment — a reminder of the deeper social issues that often lurk beneath the surface of sports. For others, it was just a performance, another spectacle on a night meant for football.
As the cameras cut away from Lamar and the football game resumed, the focus quickly returned to touchdowns, penalties and commercials. But for some, the halftime performance still lingered in their minds.
Lamar’s performance stirred emotions, sparked debates and drew the attention of millions. It was a perfect example of the dual role sports play in society — both as a platform for political statements and as a massive, unifying distraction from them.
Despite how any viewer may feel about this year's halftime performance and the messaging it included — like the divided American flag and Samuel L. Jackson playing Uncle Sam — political statements in sports are nothing new. Sports have always been an epicenter for social and political causes, with players and entertainers leveraging their positions to make their voices heard.
One of the most famous protests in sports history occurred in 1968 when track and field athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists in a Black Power salute on the Olympic podium. Decades later, Colin Kaepernick protested police brutality by kneeling during the playing of the national anthem, which sparked a heated controversy that went well beyond the football field.
Despite being presented as apolitical, sports are frequently at the forefront of cultural and political conversation, as seen by these acts of rebellion.
This intersection of culture and athletics has allowed figures like Lamar to inject political discourse into spaces that often strive to remain neutral, forcing conversations that some might prefer to ignore. Whether met with praise or controversy, these moments reveal a fundamental truth: sports are never just about the game.
Yes, it's easy to get lost in the game, focusing solely on the excitement of player performance and the final outcome. In those moments, the game feels like an isolated world where nothing else matters. But beneath the surface, sports are connected to larger cultural and political conversations that can't be ignored, no matter how much we try to focus on just the play itself.
“When you’re watching a game, that game takes over everything and everything else falls away. That becomes your whole world,” UF psychology professor Erin Westgate said. “At that moment, the next play is the most important thing.”
The tension between using sports as an escape from the outside world while simultaneously allowing moments of controversy to seep in is at the heart of the sports experience. Regardless, people gather to watch and play the sport that they love and for those few moments forget about the troubles of life.
“There are moments in time where you can focus on the performance of a team or your own performance and socializing with others. And in that moment we forget a lot of our everyday challenges,” UF sports management professor Kyriaki Kaplanidou said.
Yet, while sports offer a temporary escape from reality, it also serves as a powerful stage for activism and social change. There are differing opinions: sports should remain free of controversy, or sporting events should serve as a platform for political messaging. Sports leagues and sponsors frequently have to choose between avoiding controversy and endorsing activism when it comes to their response to political assertions.
For instance, the NBA supported the Black Lives Matter movement and permitted players to wear jerseys with social justice slogans. However, as Kaepernick became a divisive figure, the NFL originally disassociated itself from his protest and refused to sign him to any team.
These instances demonstrate the difficulties of combining politics and sports — where financial gains, public sentiment and individual beliefs all clash.
Despite the ongoing debate, one truth remains: sports have an unparalleled ability to capture the world’s attention. Whether it’s an Olympic protest, a halftime performance or a post-game interview, these moments force conversations that might not otherwise take place. Even as fans seek an escape in the thrill of competition, the reality is that sports have always been intertwined with politics.
The question is not whether sports and politics should mix, but rather how we choose to engage with the messages that mixture brings to the forefront.
Isis Snow is a UF journalism and sports media junior.
