The NAACP is throwing a flag on some of college sports' biggest programs. In a bold move that could shake up recruiting for years, the organization is officially calling on Black athletes to steer clear of several major universities—mostly in the SEC—over concerns about voting rights.
Derrick Johnson, NAACP National President and CEO, announced the 'Out of Bounds' campaign on Tuesday, targeting schools located in states that have voted to weaken the Voting Rights Act. The message is clear: your talent is valuable, and it shouldn't be used to enrich institutions that undermine your community's political power.
“Black athletes should not be asked to generate wealth, prestige, and power for state institutions while those same states strip political power from Black communities,” Johnson said, via The Associated Press. “We will fight with all we have in solidarity with the Congressional Black Caucus to ensure that we have representation, or if we don't, we will withhold the talent that plays on the football field or on the basketball court, be they male or female.”
The list of affected schools reads like a who's who of college football royalty: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Texas. If top recruits heed the call, it could dramatically reshape the landscape of the sport, especially given the recent discussions about how college rosters are funded and the increasing financial stakes involved.
But the campaign doesn't stop with athletes. The NAACP is also asking alumni and fans to withhold both athletic and financial support from these universities. That means empty seats, fewer donations, and a potential hit to the massive revenue streams these athletic departments rely on.
“This generation of Black athletes understands something that those who came before them were never afforded the chance to say so plainly: your talent is yours, and so is your community's political power,” Tylik McMillan, the NAACP's national director of youth and college division, told CBS Sports.
The timing is significant, as college sports are already grappling with major changes, including the rise of NIL deals and the transfer portal. The 'Out of Bounds' campaign adds a new layer of complexity, tying athletic success directly to social and political issues. It also echoes broader conversations about athlete activism, similar to the pushback seen in other sports leagues.
Whether the SEC schools will respond to the NAACP's challenge remains to be seen. For now, the organization has made its stance clear: if you want the best talent, you have to respect the rights of the communities that produce it.
