It is the start of a new year; however, we are still dealing with the new normal of sports teams and players being sidelined due to COVID-19 (see the article “New Year, Still Quarantines: This Time For Tennis Players At the Australian Open”), virtual fans, and modified sports seasons. But while the pandemic has disrupted all aspects of life around the world, it has been extraordinary to witness how the sports industry has pivoted with new innovations in game coverage, draft nights, state-of-the-art virus testing, and many more ways to keep fans around the world engaged during these difficult times. We have seen the rising influence of athletes in social and political movements and the huge impact they have made on this country’s political landscape. In this month’s article “The WNBA’s Role in Raphael Warnock’s Senate Win in Georgia” you can read how the WNBA’s support of Raphael Warnock’s Senate run had a significant role in helping him defeat incumbent Georgia Senator Kelly Loeffler, co-owner of the Atlanta Dream. Of course in November 2020 we extensively reported how players like LeBron James, and brands such as Nike and Air Jordan were working to Get Out the Vote.
US Soccer star Megan Rapinoe has also been a vocal athlete, whether fighting for gender equality or speaking about the state of politics in the U.S. You can read about her statements about the riot at the Capitol in this month’s article “Megan Rapinoe Speaks Out Against The Capitol Riot.”
The NFL broke a gender barrier this month announcing that Sarah Thomas will be an officiant for Super Bowl LV, the first female in history, which you can read about in “The NFL Has Named A Woman To Officiate In The Super Bowl For The First Time In History”.
Other must-read articles this January include “Ranking National Champions of the Last Decade” in light of Alabama’s football win, and a look at the male U.S. soccer stars of the future in “10 Young Americans to Watch in Europe.” Also check out the “NFC EAST YEAR IN REVIEW,” the “NHL Draft Recap,” and the “NBA Early Season Takeaways.”
In entertainment news, we highly recommend the new HBOMax documentary “Tiger” which is a fascinating look at the golf phenom Tiger Woods’s life.
We look forward to the SuperBowl, more NBA action, monitoring all of the MLB trades and signings, and hope that we will be able to enjoy sports in person again sometime this year.
Thank you for reading and supporting Inside Sports Journal and following us on Instagram @insidesportsjournal.
Best,
Zac Cornell Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Inside Sports Journal 