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White House Visits by Victorious Athletes Becomes a Political Matter
While visiting the White House after a victorious season was once a nonpartisan rite of passage for athletes, the tradition has become increasingly tangled up in politics since the Clinton presidency. Athletes are now more confident in using their platforms to share political messages and are increasingly facing questions about whether they are willing to visit the White House. In this charged political atmosphere, more clashes have arisen between athletes and presidents. While President Biden has mostly avoided these clashes, sparks have flown after the women’s team from Louisiana State won the NCAA championship against the Iowa Hawkeyes, which resulted in some players rejecting the invitation. Meanwhile, Georgia’s football team will also be skipping the White House visit altogether due to scheduling conflicts.
The Athlete Empowerment Era
While White House visits were once considered family-friendly photo opportunities, they now overlap with the athlete empowerment era. Athletes are more confident in using their platforms to share political messages, and they can use social media as a bullhorn. Professor Jules Boykoff from Pacific University describes sports as politics by other means. With sweeping social movements such as Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, athletes feel emboldened. Hence, White House events may soon run their course. However, Boykoff believes that the tradition of White House events could still continue with athletes showing up to share their views.
Memorable Moments
While the politicization of White House visits has come to the fore, such events were once more playful. Athletes and presidents shared memorable moments, such as Harry Carson of the NFL’s New York Giants dumping a bucket of popcorn on President Ronald Reagan’s head in 1987. In 2021, Los Angeles Dodgers’ pitcher Joe Kelly showed up at the White House in a mariachi jacket. More recently, President Biden was presented with a helmet by the Air Force Academy’s football team, which he jokingly said he might need due to his job.
Overall, the tradition of White House visits serves as a reflection of the country’s current political climate, and it remains to be seen how it will evolve in the future.
