Boycott The NFL? #BoycottNFL Trends On Twitter And Facebook Amid Sunday’s National Anthem Seattle Seahawks Team Protest Rumor
News about an NFL boycott has caused #boycottNFL to trend on Twitter, with #boycotttheNFL creating buzz on Facebook as well. Why would NFL fans potentially boycott the NFL? Because of controversy stemming from the national anthem boycott started by Colin Kaepernick, which has caught fire and caused the NFL boycott backlash.
Rumors that the entire Seattle Seahawks team may join the anthem boycott on Sunday, as reported by UPI, has caused the NFL boycott buzz to grow louder. Bobby Wagner, a Seahawks linebacker, said the world needs to see team unity. Therefore, if the whole team takes a knee to show solidarity with Kaepernick during his national anthem boycott prior to their game on Sunday, expect those #boycottNFL and #boycottTheNFL hashtags to have loads more social media posts from folks who claim they are boycotting the NFL.
Perusing the #boycottNFL and #boycottTheNFL hashtags reveals the news that some people find it hypocritical that an NFL boycott is just now swelling. With domestic violence issues being rampant in the NFL over the years, along with other controversies, certain folks are calling NFL fans hypocrites for selecting this issue to boycott the NFL over.
Josh Brown was physical 20X says wife. Manziel ruptured her eardrum. Hardy. Ben. But NOW u wanna #boycottNFL ??? pic.twitter.com/uSPgXndOm5
— ChuckModi (@ChuckModi1) September 9, 2016
Because Kaepernick alternately sat or took a knee during “The Star-Spangled Banner,” cries of boycotting the NFL began, especially after additional athletes joined Colin’s cause against police brutality.
Reactions on social media to the NFL boycott are varied. Certain folks claim they’ll join the NFL boycott because athletes are just supposed to entertain, not express their political opinions. Others claim they’ll boycott the NFL because NFL players are overpaid. Yet, others say the NFL boycott should happen because they claim NFL players are disrespecting the country.
Those intending to boycott the NFL imply that the league should not support “anti-American” boycotts.
However, others believe the NFL boycott is misguided because those urging an NFL boycott don’t understand why some NFL players have boycotted standing up during the national anthem.
One NFL boycott that didn’t happen involved police in San Francisco, who threatened but later rescinded their boycott of NFL 49ers games, reports USA Today.
Whether new talk of fans boycotting the NFL actually grows into a widespread boycott or fizzles out with the boycott buzz remains to be seen. Meanwhile, President Obama has defended NFL players’ right to boycott the national anthem, reports RT.
The NFL itself has also defended the rights of NFL players to boycott standing during the national anthem. The NFL will not force players to stand during the national anthem.
Meanwhile, now that football is back in full swing, a boycott would surely be a timely issue. Google Trends reports that the NFL received more than two million searches on Thursday, September 8.
Reactions to a potential NFL boycott, with reasons for and against a potential boycott, can be seen in the sampling of social media posts below.
“@NFL to allow entire team to say ‘F*** YOU’ to America. Boycott the NFL!!!”
“#boycottNFL is a ridiculous trend. I don’t believe anyone for a second that they’re going to get rid of their tickets and boycott the NFL.”
“If any player take a knee or sit during the national anthem Sunday…. I’m boycotting the NFL….”
“So…NFL starts boycotting racism and white people #boycottNFL? #WhitePeople2016 #America2016.”
“The @NFL needs to get their kids under control or American needs to boycott the entire season.”
“*NFL player beats and/or rapes woman* fans: ¯_(?)_/¯ *two players sit during the national anthem* fans: BOYCOTT THE NFL!!!!!!”
“Fans boycott the NFL? Ha imagine if black players boycott the NFL…”
“Folks saying boycott the NFL cause of players taking a knee during the Anthem? Lol they not [gonna] boycott the NFL.”
[Photo by Chris Carlson/AP Images]
