Keith Olbermann implores fans to boycott Mayweather v. Pacquiao, NFL Draft (Video)

ESPN’s Keith Olbermann declared that he would boycott the NFL Draft and the impending boxing match between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao due to concerns with supporting domestic violence.

Next: All 32 NFL Franchises Ranked By All-Time Greatness

Both the NFL Draft and the boxing match between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao will undoubtedly reel in many viewers lookingvto catch a glimpse of either Don King’s or Mel Kiper’s hair, as well as some actually important sporting events.

ESPN2‘s Keith Olbermann will not be among those viewers, and he urged you to do the same on Olbermann Friday night.

Olbermann is correct that the narrative surrounding Mayweather should be largely shaped by his domestic violence convictions, which have been conveniently swept under the rug. The state of Nevada should have done much more to prevent Mayweather from fighting in light of those convictions, and the boxing community needs to be more ready to denounce Mayweather and his actions. Of course, in a sport that is quickly dying, it is sadly understandable that boxing is more than willing to accept a controversial-yet-successful figure like Mayweather as its poster boy.

That being said, Olbermann should not be congratulated for his noble position. It is nearly impossible to characterize the trajectory of Winston’s career at this point, so to call him a “ticking time bomb” might not be the most learned opinion on the player.

Furthermore, the idea of boycotting these two events which will still get plenty of viewers does less to actually diminish the power of figures like Winston and Mayweather and much more to bolster the moral high ground Olbermann has built for himself. Much like the NFL’s “No More” campaign, his coming out against domestic violence is both timely and transparent.

However, he does bring up valuable questions of whether or not athletes who have been accused of violent crimes are deserving of our attention and adulation. If the mere presence of Jameis Winston is enough to deter someone from watching the NFL Draft, then the entirety of the NFL calender ought to be off-limits as well.

The question is whether or not viewership of these events equates to support for the crimes of its participants. Someone can want to watch the boxing match while still finding Mayweather repulsive, but is their viewership tacit approval of Mayweather anyway?

The answer to that is difficult to say, but what is true is that the pressure needs to be placed on the commissioners of the institutions. NBA fans had faith in Adam Silver regarding Donald Sterling’s racist remarks, and he rewarded that faith with a swift and effective lifetime ban. Neither Roger Goodell nor the state of Nevada can boast the same moral precedent as Silver, so perhaps threatening profits with a boycott is the best course of action.

Next: All 32 NFL Franchises Ranked By Greatness At QB Position

More from Boxing

Home/Boxing