The SportsCrit Lab with Dr. G

In this episode of The SportsCrit™ Lab Podcast, Dr. Gyasmine George-Williams unpacks SportsCrit™ Tenet: Progress Is Made When Power Is Paid. Using the current WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations as a case study, the episode explores how athletes' labor powers the multibillion-dollar sports industry—and why the people who create the value often receive only a fraction of the profits.Starting with Jalen Rose’s powerful statement, “Players are the product,” the episode examines the economic structure of sport through the SportsCrit™ Economics of Sport framework and the concept of interest convergence. As the WNBA grows in popularity and visibility, players are pushing for a larger share of the revenue they help generate.This episode challenges the idea that sports are just entertainment and reveals the deeper systems of labor, media, and economic power shaping the games we watch.Key Concepts IntroducedSportsCrit™ Tenet 7: Progress Is Made When Power Is PaidSportsCrit™ Economics of Sport FrameworkSportsCrit™ Labor Visibility CurveInterest ConvergenceMedia Framing in SportAthlete Labor and Cultural ValueReferencesSportsCrit™ FrameworksGeorge-Williams, G. (2021).Love Is at the Root of the Resistance: Strategies of Activism, Advocacy, and Liberation.George-Williams, G. (2026).Teaching the Tough Plays: A SportsCrit™ Pedagogy for Equity in Sports Education. (forthcoming)George-Williams, G.SportsCrit™ FrameworkGeorge-Williams, G.SportsCrit™ Economics of SportAthlete Labor & Sports EconomicsCoakley, J. (2021).Sports in Society: Issues and Controversies.Fort, R., & Quirk, J. (1995).Cross-Subsidization, Incentives, and Outcomes in Professional Team Sports Leagues.Journal of Economic Literature.Kahn, L. (2000).The Sports Business as a Labor Market Laboratory.Journal of Economic Perspectives.Race, Power, and SportEdwards, H. (2017).The Revolt of the Black Athlete.Hawkins, B. (2013).The New Plantation: Black Athletes, College Sports, and Predominantly White NCAA Institutions.Rhoden, W. (2006).Forty Million Dollar Slaves.Media Framing and Sports CommunicationBillings, A. (2014).Communication and Sport.Boyle, R., & Haynes, R. (2009).Power Play: Sport, the Media and Popular Culture.Cooky, C., Messner, M., & Musto, M. (2015).It’s Dude Time: A Quarter Century of Excluding Women’s Sports in Televised News.SportsCrit™Disrupt the Narrative.Reframe the Analysis.Rewrite the Game.© Gyasmine George-Williams, Ph.D.

This episode documents the intersectional milestones of Super Bowl LX that are often overshadowed by political debate or commercial spectacle. Rather than centering controversy, this episode archives measurable, named, and documented cultural shifts that occurred during Super Bowl week and game day.Featured Milestones Discussed1. Coco Jones — “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (Pregame)* Performed the Black national anthem during pregame ceremonies.* Outfit designed by Karl Kani as a visual homage to Whitney Houston’s iconic 1991 Super Bowl anthem performance.* Backed by an all-Black ensemble.* Performance included Black American Sign Language interpretation.2. Celimar Rivera Cosme — Puerto Rican Sign Language (Halftime)* Deaf Puerto Rican interpreter who performed in Puerto Rican Sign Language (LSPR) during Bad Bunny’s halftime show.* Marked a major moment of culturally specific Deaf representation on a global sports stage.3. Telemundo Spanish-Language Broadcast* Delivered the most-watched Spanish-language Super Bowl broadcast in U.S. history.* Averaged approximately 3.3 million viewers.* Halftime peak viewership approached 4.8 million.4. Bad Bunny Halftime Viewership* Approximately 134 million U.S. viewers (Nielsen estimate).* Ranked among the most-watched Super Bowl halftime performances in history.5. Women in Sports Broadcasting* Two women serving as sideline reporters during the Super Bowl broadcast.* Built on the historical legacy of Lesley Visser (first woman to cover a Super Bowl in 1991), Pam Oliver, and Maria Taylor.6. Women in NFL Ownership Leadership* Jody Allen serving as Chair of the Seattle Seahawks.* Representation in executive ownership power structures.7. Choreography as Cultural AuthorshipCharm La’Donna as creative director and choreographer for:* Bad Bunny (2026)* Kendrick Lamar (2025)The halftime stage as a major site of African and Latin diaspora movement storytelling.📚 ReferencesAllen, J. (2026). Seattle Seahawks leadership overview. Seattle Seahawks Official Website.KQED Arts. (2026, February). Celimar Rivera Cosme brings Puerto Rican Sign Language to the Super Bowl halftime stage.KQED.National Football League. (2026). Super Bowl LX official broadcast and halftime production credits. NFL Communications.Nielsen Media Research. (2026, February). Super Bowl LX national television ratings report. Nielsen.Parade Magazine. (2026, February). Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime viewership numbers revealed. Parade.People Magazine. (2026, February). Coco Jones performs “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at Super Bowl LX. People.People Magazine. (2026, February). Coco Jones channels Whitney Houston’s 1991 Super Bowl look. People.Telemundo. (2026, February). Telemundo delivers the most-watched Spanish-language Super Bowl in U.S. history. NBCUniversal Media.TodoTVNews. (2026, February). Telemundo breaks Spanish-language Super Bowl audience records. TodoTVNews.Visser, L. (1991). Super Bowl XXV broadcast coverage. CBS Sports Archive.

In Episode 2 of the SportsCrit™ Super Bowl Series, Dr. Gyasmine George-Williams moves beyond the spectacle of halftime entertainment to examine the controversy surrounding Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance.Using SportsCrit™ Phase One as the analytic lens, this episode explores how backlash to a Spanish-dominant, Puerto Rican headliner reveals deeper tensions around national identity, belonging, and cultural ownership in American sport.From calls for alternative “All-American Halftime Shows” to public criticism about language, immigration politics, and patriotism, this episode demonstrates how reactions to cultural visibility often function as enforcement mechanisms that protect dominant narratives of who is allowed to represent America.This episode continues building SportsCrit™ by applying:• Tenet 2: Whiteness Gets the Jersey, the Locker & the Legacy• Tenet 3: The Game Looks Different Depending on Your PositionListeners are invited to examine backlash not as noise or opinion, but as data that reveals power structures at work in sport and society.Key Topics Covered✔ Why the Super Bowl halftime show functions as a national cultural stage✔ The political and cultural reaction to Bad Bunny’s performance✔ Counter-programming and the emergence of “All-American” cultural framing✔ Whiteness as property in defining national identity✔ Positionality and why audiences interpret the same performance differently✔ How backlash reveals the boundaries of belonging in American sportKey Takeaways• Representation and ownership are not the same• Cultural backlash often reflects attempts to protect perceived national identity• The Super Bowl acts as a ritual where America rehearses who it believes belongs• SportsCrit™ helps us interpret conflict as structural, not random📚 References & ResourcesFoundational ScholarshipWilkerson, Isabel. (2020). Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.Hawkins, Billy. (2010). The New Plantation: Black Athletes, College Sports, and Predominantly White NCAA Institutions.Harris, Cheryl. (1993). Whiteness as Property. Harvard Law Review.Cultural & Media ContextCoverage discussing controversy surrounding Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime selection and national identity debates.Reports documenting conservative counter-programming efforts labeled “All-American Halftime Shows.”Media discussions connecting halftime entertainment to immigration discourse, nationalism, and cultural representation.SportsCrit™ ScholarshipGeorge-Williams, Gyasmine.• SportsCrit™ Pedagogy Framework• SportsCrit™ Media Framing Theory• The SportsCrit™ Lab Podcast• Teaching the Tough Plays: A SportsCrit™ Pedagogy for Equity in Sports Education (forthcoming)

In this episode of The SportsCrit™ Lab, Dr. Gyasmine George-Williams launches Phase One of SportsCrit™ by naming a foundational truth often hidden in plain sight: the field was never neutral.Using the NFL and the Super Bowl as a living case study, this episode introduces caste, racialized labor, and structural power as the real architecture of modern sport. Drawing on Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste and Billy Hawkins’ The New Plantation, Dr. G reframes football not as an escape from history—but as one of its most refined mirrors.This episode sets the foundation for the Super Bowl series by shifting listeners from watching sport to reading it.Episode ThemesSportsCrit™ Phase One foundationsCaste as structure, not prejudiceFootball as a modern racialized labor systemNeutrality as camouflage for powerWhy repeated advantage signals designKey TakeawaysSport does not exist outside of social systems—it inherits them“Level playing fields” are rhetorical, not materialCaste survives through structure, not intentFootball functions as both labor extraction and national ritualFoundational Texts (External)Wilkerson, I. (2020). Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. Random House.Hawkins, B. (2010). The New Plantation: Black Athletes, College Sports, and Predominantly White NCAA Institutions. Palgrave Macmillan.Coakley, J. (2015). Sports in Society: Issues and Controversies. McGraw-Hill.Edwards, H. (1969). The Revolt of the Black Athlete. Free Press.🔑 SportsCrit™ FrameworkGeorge-Williams, G. (2023) SportsCrit™ Pedagogy & FrameworkA critical race praxis for analyzing sport, power, racialized labor, media framing, and institutional control.(Introduced and applied throughout this episode.)George-Williams, G. The SportsCrit™ Lab Podcast (2025)Public scholarship exploring sport, race, power, embodiment, and media through a SportsCrit™ lens.Episodes include the Somatic Liberation Winter Series and the Super Bowl Series: Naming the Rigged Game.George-Williams, G. Teaching the Tough Plays: A SportsCrit™ Pedagogy for Equity in Sports Education (forthcoming)Book manuscript developing SportsCrit™ as a teachable, action-oriented framework for educators, coaches, and scholars.George-Williams, G. SportsCrit™ Media Framing TheoryAn applied model for analyzing sports media narratives, backlash, and power, developed through classroom praxis and student-generated research.

In this episode of the The SportsCrit™ Lab Podcast, its part two of the breakdown of the Critical Race Theory Tenet"Whiteness as Property" and Sportscrit tenet "The System of Whiteness get the Jersey, Locker and Legacy", Host and mind behind SportsCrit, Dr. Gyasmine George‑Williams (Dr. G) unpacks the recent denial of her course rooted in race, sport, and social justice — and situates that moment within the broader framework of institutional resistance, performance of equity, and the maintenance of power. We explore the concept of the “Property Performer,” examine how sport becomes a venue for controlling knowledge and narratives, and invite listeners to reflect on what it means to claim, teach, and transform sport through a justice lens.Key ThemesThe rejection of her course as a case study in institutional barriers to justice-oriented curriculaThe notion of the “Property Performer” — those who perform allyship or inclusion but protect power and access behind the scenesSport as a field of struggle: who has access to the playbook, who writes the rules, and who gets excludedHow educators, students, and athletes can recognize these dynamics and begin to rewrite the game with intentionA call to action: using pedagogy, scholarship, and praxis to disrupt the status quo rather than passively accept itTimestamp Breakdown (estimates)00:00 – Intro sequence: setting the stage, framing the terrain02:15 – Why the rejection of Dr G's course matters: institutional context09:30 – Introducing the “Property Performer” concept15:40 – Sport and property logic: mapping access, ownership, and exclusion22:10 – Case studies: sport media, athlete labor, institutional gatekeeping30:05 – What this means for students, educators, athletes36:50 – Closing reflections and call to action39:20 – Outro and next stepsRecommended References & Further ReadingCheryl I. Harris. “Whiteness as Property.” Harvard Law Review, 106(8), 1993.Kimberlé Crenshaw. “Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: A Black feminist critique…” University of Chicago Legal Forum, 1989.Critical Race Theory: An Introduction (3rd ed.) by Richard Delgado & Jean Stefancic.

In this powerful new episode of the SportsCrit™ Lab Podcast, Dr. Gyasmine George-Williams unpacks the Critical Race Theory tenet of Whiteness as Property—a concept that reveals how white identity has historically functioned as a form of legal, social, cultural, and sports property.But we don’t stop at theory. From NCAA contracts to NIL loopholes, from generational wealth gaps to media framing in professional sports, Dr. G connects the dots between who owns, who benefits, and who’s kept out.Whether new to CRT or deeply engaged in equity work, this episode offers real-world examples, provocative insights, and the kind of SportsCrit™ storytelling that challenges comfort zones and invites transformation.🧠 In This Episode, We Explore:* How Cheryl Harris’ foundational work reveals whiteness as a system of exclusive rights* Examples of property logic in sports: ownership, access, and branding* What “ownership” looks like when applied to Black bodies, labor, and culture in the athletic-industrial complex* How understanding property, not just prejudice, helps us understand racism as systemic, not accidental📚 References for Show Notes:Cooper, B. (2018). *Eloquent rage: A Black feminist discovers her superpower*. St. Martin’s Press.Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: A Black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory, and antiracist politics. *University of Chicago Legal Forum*, 1989(1), 139–167.Delgado, R., & Stefancic, J. (2017). *Critical race theory: An introduction* (3rd ed.). NYU Press.George, G. (2011, February). The NFL and the Rooney Rule. The NFL and African American coaches: Playing by the rules. *Prominence Magazine*, 2(3), 49–51.George-Williams, G. (2019). *Love is at the root of resistance: A hermeneutic phenomenological inquiry into the lived experiences of Black college athlete activists* (Publication No. 13898234) \[Doctoral dissertation, Azusa Pacific University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. [http://bit.ly/GGWBCAAs](http://bit.ly/GGWBCAAs)George-Williams, G. (2021). *Love is at the root of resistance: Strategies of activism, advocacy, and liberation*. Seven Ten Legacy LLC. [http://bit.ly/DrGsBook](http://bit.ly/DrGsBook)George-Williams, G. (2024). Challenging norms: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf’s national anthem protest and its pedagogical implications. In *Handbook of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Sport: Student Engagement and Critical Pedagogies* (forthcoming).George-Williams, G. (2024). Illuminating the field: The transformative power of SportCrit in sports education. In *Sport, Higher Education, and Critical Pedagogies* (Manuscript submitted for publication). Routledge.George-Williams, G. (2025). Activist Tiered Systems of Support (ATSS) framework: An ecosystem of care and well-being for student and athlete activists. *Sport Social Work Journal, 7*(1). [https://doi.org/10.33043/baqy78da](httHarris, C. I. (1993). Whiteness as property. Harvard Law Review, 106(8), 1707–1791.Jun, A., & Collins, C. S. (2017). White Out: Understanding White Privilege and Dominance in the Modern Age.NCAA. (n.d.). NIL frameworks and athlete equity. Retrieved from https://www.ncaa.org/sports/nil-resourcesVarious authors. (n.d.). Sports equity and branding case studies. ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and other platforms.Follow & Share the SportsCrit™ Movement:

This one is special. 💫I was honored with the Faculty of the Year Award for the Dept of Kinesiology Health Promotion— and the person who introduced me on stage was none other than one of my fabulous students, Tatiana.Tatiana’s words weren’t just an introduction… they were testimony. 🖤 She spoke about the impact of my teaching, my mentorship, and the way SportsCrit™ has shaped her journey as a scholar and future changemaker.To have my student — a brilliant voice for equity and inclusion in Physical Education — stand beside me in that moment was the *real award.*Because at the end of the day:📚 It’s not just about lectures or grades.🔥 It’s about legacy.🌱 It’s about planting seeds of justice and watching them grow.This is a reminder: when we pour love, rigor, and liberation into our students, they reflect it back in ways that transform us too.Thank you, Tatiana, for your words, your leadership, and for walking this path with me. 💪🏾#SportsCrit #DrGTaughtMe #FacultyOfTheYear #LegacyInMotion #DisruptReframeRewriteTheGame

Shot out to Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, who inspired this episode's title!In this foundational episode of the SportsCrit™ Lab Podcast, Dr. G dives deep into what Critical Race Theory (CRT) is—and why it’s essential for reimagining sports education.Paying respect to the original founders of CRT, Dr. G breaks down key tenets in a way that’s accessible, relevant, and rooted in real-world examples from sports and education. Through storytelling and sharp cultural analysis, she shows why CRT belongs exactly where the power structures are and how SportsCrit™ pedagogy invites all of us to think critically and move courageously.You’ll also hear about:- How a groundbreaking performance by In Living Color at the Super Bowl changed halftime shows forever- Why understanding Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), and Tribal Colleges is crucial to conversations about race and equity in education- Insights from the book White Out by Jun and Collins, revealing how whiteness operates as property in institutional settings- How two pillars of CRT—The permanence of racism and Interest Convergence—are visible in everyday sports culture and educational practiceWhether you’re a sports fan, an educator, a scholar, or someone who loves learning the real story behind “what’s going on,” this episode is your entry point into the real work of transformation.📚 References Mentioned in the Episode:- Critical Race Theory Founders:* Derrick Bell, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Richard Delgado- Delgado, R., & Stefancic, J. (2017).Critical Race Theory: An Introduction* (3rd ed.). NYU Press.- Bell, D. (1992).Faces at the Bottom of the Well: The Permanence of Racism. Basic Books.- John, R., & Collins, C. (2022). *White Out: The Unmasking of White America.*- In Living Color Super Bowl Halftime Takeover: 1992, which shifted the NFL’s approach to halftime shows foreverFederal Education Designations Discussed:- MSI: Minority-Serving Institutions- HSI: Hispanic-Serving Institutions- AANAPISI: Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions- TCU: Tribal Colleges and Universities- HBCU: Historically Black Colleges and Universities🎧 Stay Connected:- Instagram:@ sportscritlab- TikTok: @sportscritcutieLearn about Dr. G!Website#SportsCrit #CriticalRaceTheory #SportsEducation #RaceAndSports #JusticeInEducation

In this debut episode, Dr. G pulls back the curtain on what The SportsCrit™ Lab is all about—where scholarship, sport, and social justice collide. Learn how SportsCrit™ was born, why it matters, and how it’s being used to change the way we understand athletics in and outside the classroom.Dr. G breaks down:- What is a pedagogy—and why does SportsCrit™ matter in this moment?- How student-athletes are already doing activist work (even if they don’t know it yet)- Why we need a critical lens to analyze sports headlines and history- A sneak peek into recurring segments like Ripped from the Headlines, and Today in My #SportsCritClassroomWhether you're an athlete, educator, coach, or fan—this space is for you.🧠 Think deeper.🏈 Watch differently.✊🏽 Engage critically.Welcome to the lab. It’s time to study the game like never before.References:Delgado, R., & Stefancic, J. (2017). Critical Race Theory: An Introduction (3rd ed.). New York University Press.- This foundational text in Critical Race Theory provides the framework for understanding how racism is systemic and ordinary in society. We apply these principles to sports in the SportsCrit™ Pedagogy framework.Bell, D. (1980). Race, Racism, and American Law (2nd ed.). Little, Brown and Company.-Derrick Bell's work on interest convergence helps us understand how racial progress is often limited to situations where it aligns with the interests of the dominant group, something we see reflected in how athletes of color are treated in sports.Crenshaw, K. (1989). Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory, and Antiracist Politics. University of Chicago Legal Forum, 139–167.-Kimberlé Crenshaw's concept of intersectionality is key to SportsCrit™ as we analyze how race, gender, and class intersect in the treatment of athletes, particularly athletes of color and female athletes.Harris, C. I. (1993). Whiteness as Property. Harvard Law Review, 106(8), 1707–1791.-This article explores how whiteness can be seen as a form of property, which holds value in social, economic, and cultural capital, and directly impacts how sports and athletes are perceived and treated.Social Media Links:Instagram: @SportsCritLabTwitter: @SportsCritCutieWebsite: www.drgyasmine.comHashtags: #SportsCritLab #ReframeTheGame #SportsCritPedagogy #CriticalRaceTheory #ActivismInSports #SocialJusticeInSports #DisruptTheGame#SportsCrit #TheSportsCritLab #AthleteActivism #RaceAndSports #DrGSpeaks