The Day I Became A Clippers Fan: A Meditation on Clippers Media Day
I was never a fan of basketball and I did not have a personal preference between our cross-town rivals, but when the opportunity to attend the Clippers’ media day arose, I decided that I actually prefer the blue and red color combination — and hey, maybe the game isn’t so bad after all. On Monday, September 24, journalism and media outlets all across the Los Angeles area gathered to photograph and interview members within the LA Clippers organization. The exclusive event took place at the Clippers’ Training Center, located at the border of Playa Vista and Culver City. By observing questions asked by other outlets and studying how the professional athletes answered them, I was able to note down three significant ideas.
First, I noted how crucial it is for most professional athletes to remain relatively impartial. When rookies Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jerome Robinson took the stage, they were asked, “What social issues are you passionate about and how do you plan on using your professional platform to bring attention to those issues?” The two newbies exchanged nervous looks and one took the initiative to reply, “I haven’t thought of that at all, sorry.” Although they are human and take their lived experiences into their new positions, they know that voicing their personal opinions may skew their public image. By breaking impartiality, they prove to the public that there are real people underneath the jerseys; real people who take stances that not all of their fans will agree with.
As we were informed by BZA PR’s Alyssa Hankins, professional athletes often need to be briefed before sit-down interviews, in order to prepare for any potentially controversial questions. In a setting where they have not composed an organized and well thought out response to one of these questions, it would be in their best interest to not answer at all — as to not taint their public image. Although most media outlets are aware of this unspoken rule, I realized that many of those questions were asked anyway. The second idea I jotted down was the cutthroat nature of journalism and how important it is to get information that other outlets may not have. I am hardly a true journalist myself, but I did question the ethical nature of pressing these athletes, or anyone in general, on convictions that they would clearly rather keep private.
Finally, I took a step back and questioned the entire concept of idolizing athletes and being overly concerned with their viewpoints. Yes, they are incredibly talented and hardworking individuals, but why are their opinions considered with higher regard? Nonetheless, attending the Clippers Media Day was an experience that I will never forget. Beyond being a journalist and student, the sports fan in me was absolutely in awe. Through this season and the next couple of seasons, I look forward to following rookies Alexander and Robinson — not only in their NBA journeys, but also to see if they take a stand on any pressing social issues and how the media will react. Until then, like the other journalists, I will be waiting.
