NFL
By: Zachary Draves
Florida, otherwise known as “The Sunshine State ”, has become a hotbed for much of the current political battles for actions that are not particularly sunny. These include the ongoing assault on LGBTQ+ rights, crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion in programs in higher education, and the gross rewriting of African American history in its new educational standards that suggests that enslaved people “developed skills” during slavery “that could be applied for their personal benefit.”
The latter sparked an enormous backlash from Vice President Kamala Harris and the nation’s oldest black fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha that decided to move their annual convention out of Florida in 2025.
So one would think that one of the states’ most illustrious sporting franchises, the Orlando Magic, which is part of a majority black professional sports league would be on the right side of history.
But one would be very wrong.
On Tuesday, it was reported that the organization, owned by the DeVos family, donated $50,000 to Never Back Down Inc., a political Super Pac that supports the presidential campaign of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
In a statement to USA Today, a spokesperson for the Magic stated “To clarify, this gift was given before Governor DeSantis entered the presidential race. “It was given as a Florida business in support of a Florida governor for the continued prosperity of Central Florida.”
(Courtesy: DeVos Family)
The check was written May 19 before DeSantis officially launched his campaign on May 24.
The DeVos family, headed by the late family patriarch Richard Marvin DeVos Sr., has had ownership stakes in the Magic since 1991 and have been longstanding contributors to the Republican Party and conservative causes. Betsy DeVos, the wife of current chairman Dan DeVos, served as the Education Secretary under former President Donald Trump from 2017-2021.
In truth, this donation is not at all surprising and if it had been given to any other GOP candidate not named Trump or DeSantis, it most likely wouldn’t be much of an issue. But in this instance, the alarm bells are loud and clear.
(Courtesy: Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
The notion that they are supporting a governor that is fighting for the “continued prosperity of Central Florida” is shortsighted at best and oblivious at worst. The state at large has the highest inflation rate in the country as the nation’s inflation rate continues to cool down. The ongoing housing insurance crisis is a main driver and while there has been an influx of new residents, the demand doesn’t meet the supply and therefore housing prices are rising astronomically.
While DeSantis has been crisscrossing the country promulgating overhyped culture wars, which has been the basis of his entire presidential campaign, he has left his state hanging and his sagging poll numbers are beginning to reflect that sense of frustration.
Also this donation runs incongruent with some of the Magic’s recent activities. They host an annual Pride Night where they sell pride swag and give a donation to the OneOrlando Fund, an organization that supports the victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting that took place in Orlando.
Given DeSantis’ brazen culture wars that translated into the passing of the controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill, a ban on providing gender affirming care to LGBTQ+ youth, banning drag shows, and limiting the usage of pronouns in schools, it makes absolutely no sense for the Magic to have it both ways.
How can you support the LGBTQ+ community on the one hand and then support an anti-LGBTQ+ governor and presidential candidate on the other?
Furthermore, at the height of the social justice protests in 2020 after the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, the Mr. Devos supported their players’ efforts in calling attention to the issue of racial and social injustice while they were in the bubble of all places Orlando. At the same time, he donated $50,000 to the Congressional Leadership Fund, a Super Pac that supported GOP candidates running in 2020, many of whom voted against the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
Now with the assaults on African American history and trying to somehow suggest that there was an upside to slavery, they are continuing their pattern of unmitigated apathy.
As of right now, the Orlando players and coaches have not responded, but at least New Orleans Pelicans center/forward Larry Nance Jr. took to social media asking “So the Orlando Magic who have a majority black roster, a black head coach, and a black GM, decided it was a good idea to support a man that claims that slavery had personal benefits for the enslaved?”
So the @OrlandoMagic who have a majority black roster, a black head coach, and a black GM decided it was a good idea to support a man that claims that slavery had personal benefits for the enslaved? https://t.co/LI3FAXbMxb
— Larry Nance (@Larrydn22) August 2, 2023
On Thursday, the NBA Players Association (NBPA) released a statement that read:
“A political contribution from the Orlando Magic is alarming given recent comments and policies of its beneficiary.
NBA governors, players and personnel have the right to express their personal political views, including through donations and statements. However, if contributions are made on behalf of an entire team, using money earned through the labor of its employees, it is incumbent upon the team governors to consider the diverse values and perspectives of staff and players.
The Magic’s donation does not represent player support for the recipient.”
Time will tell if the Orlando players and coaches will respond, but in the meantime, the incongruence is evident and needs to be called out either way.
So much for the whole idea of “stick to sports” and “shut up and dribble” that has consistently been promoted by those on the far-right. It would be much easier for them to say that they believe in sticking to sports unless they get their way or better yet acknowledge the whole premise of “sticking to sports” is not realistic.
But as it turns out they don’t have to say it.
Money talks.
