Although we tend to think of sport first as a healthy activity or entertainment, there’s much more to it than just that: sport has actually proven to be a powerful tool for social impact. In February, the Super Bowl is in the spotlight – the perfect opportunity to explore how sports can act as a platform for philanthropy, serving as a unifying force beyond the thrill of competition. From grassroot initiatives that uplift communities, to sporting leagues scaling their engagement and professional athletes turning advocates for impact, we will explore how sports can be leveraged as a force for good, highlighting some of the most impactful initiatives led to date.
Grassroots Sports for Change
Grassroots sports are meant to bring together individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities, thereby promoting a deep sense of community and inclusivity. These initiatives are the bedrock of sports philanthropy, serving as a true lifeline for underserved communities by offering much more than just physical activities.
The global charitable organization Right to Play uses sports and play-based learning to educate and empower children in underprivileged areas in 22 countries worldwide. It developed in particular the programs SportWorks and SportHealth in 2002, focusing on children development and health education. To provide concrete examples of the measurable impact it created: schools in Rwanda implementing Right to Play’s learning methods saw student enrollment improve significantly, while another initiative led in Uganda equipped adolescents with comprehensive HIV prevention education. Elsewhere in Zambia, a 2023 vaccination program showcased the organization’s ability to mobilize resources for critical health interventions by vaccinating around 18’000 children in just one week.
Meanwhile, StreetGames was founded in the UK in 2005 to foster social cohesion by offering accessible sports opportunities for marginalized youth. Its innovative programs have engaged over 530’000 young individuals and welcomed more than 3.86 million events attendees in its first decade.
Other programs focus on combatting inequality or breaking down cultural barriers, yet they all share one goal – harnessing the passion for sports to inspire lasting change, one game at a time.
The Engagement of Major Sporting Leagues
The major sporting leagues do not face the financial challenge some grassroots initiatives struggle with – on the contrary, they have the resources to amplify philanthropic efforts through high-profile campaigns, recognizing the transformative power sports hold. Let’s take the US National Football League (NFL) as an example, and the millions of dollars the NFL Foundation channels into youth programs, social justice initiatives, and disaster relief. This year, celebrating the Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, the NFL Foundation and the New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee joined forces and committed USD 3.5 million to more than 60 local nonprofits working to support underserved communities in the area. Similarly, the US National Basketball Association (NBA) has also taken a leadership role in social activism. It launched in 2020 the Social Justice Coalition to support criminal justice reform and pledged the same year USD 300 million over 10 years to establish the NBA Foundation, promoting racial equality initiatives.
On an even larger scale, the International Olympic Committee has developed Olympic Legacy Programs, ensuring that host cities and their communities benefit from long-term infrastructure improvements. Similarly, FIFA’s Football for Hope initiative has supported over 60 development programs in 40 countries since its inception, using football to promote education, health awareness, and social inclusion.
These efforts showcase how major sporting organizations get increasingly conscious about their influence, and how they can leverage it to drive meaningful change. Yet critics often argue that their philanthropic efforts tend to prioritize public relations and reputation over the creation of lasting impact. The real challenge lies in ensuring that these programs are not just marketing stunts, but truly deliver measurable benefits for communities on the long term.
Professional Athletes turned Philanthropic Figures
While organizations, no matter their size and scope, play a crucial role in advancing social change, some of the most significant impacts can be driven from athletes themselves, as they mobilize their fan bases and provide funding to life-changing initiatives.
LeBron James, NBA superstar, created in 2018 the I PROMISE School in Akron, Ohio, providing free education, meals, and college scholarships for underprivileged children. The school had achieved particularly remarkable results in its first year, with 90% of its students meeting or even exceeding academic growth goals, but has unfortunately seen a recent decline in state test performance. J.J. Watt, Texan NFL player, used his foundation to lead fundraising efforts for Hurricane Harvey disaster relief that ultimately collected a total of USD 41.6 million, marking one of the largest athlete-led philanthropic campaigns and the largest crowd-sourced fundraiser in history. Tennis player Serena Williams has long been a champion for education and gender equality, funding scholarships and building schools in underserved regions. In the UK, footballer Marcus Rashford’s advocacy against child hunger pressured the UK government into extending free school meal programs for underprivileged children. Another footballer, the Senegalese Sadio Mané, is dedicating a large part of his wealth to philanthropic efforts, funding the construction of a school and hospital in his village Bambali, and providing roughly USD 76 monthly – the equivalent of the minimum wage in Senegal – to every resident family.
Social media has given athletes unprecedented control, allowing them to bypass traditional media and engage directly with their audience and fanbase. Although this has empowered them to advocate more effectively for the causes they support, it has also exposed them to scrutiny and sometimes even political backlash.
From local community programs to global superstar initiatives, sports have proven to be an extremely effective tool to drive social change. What best way to conclude this article than with the powerful words of Nelson Mandela himself: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to unite in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination. The heroes sport creates are examples of this power. They are valiant, not only on the playing field but also in the community, spreading hope and inspiration to the world.”
Sources: Right To Play; StreetGames; NFL Foundation; NBA Foundation; International Olympic Committee; InsideFIFA; LeBron James Family Foundation; JJ Watt Foundation; Serena’s World; FareShare; This soccer star who came from nothing has been funding universal basic income in his hometown for years, Business Insider; Sports Orgs’ Community Programs Now Face ‘Much Higher Expectations’ and Scrutiny, Global Sport Matters