Sam Kennedy explained the ‘Black Lives Matter’ billboard outside Fenway Park
"We don't see it as a political statement...We see it as a human rights message."
The 254-foot ‘Black Lives Matter’ billboard that stands outside Fenway Park is not a political statement, according to Red Sox team president and CEO Sam Kennedy — it’s simply an acknowledgment of the team’s commitment to racial justice.
In a Zoom conference call on Thursday, Kennedy clarified that the billboard represents the team’s commitment to ‘stand with’ and support the Black Lives Matter movement.
“The amplification and reinforcement of the Black Lives Matter message or movement, we don’t see it as a political statement. We see it as a human rights statement,” Kennedy said during the call. “It’s important to our employees [and] our players. And so it’s something we feel very strongly about. We understand and respect that others may see it as a political statement [but] we don’t see it as a political statement or an endorsement of any political organization or political policies. We see it as a human rights message for justice and equality. And there’s an incredibly powerful movement going on around the globe right now.
“We’re very supportive of the fight for social justice and equality for everybody.”
Many former players have spoken up about the racial discrimination they have either faced, or witnessed, coming from fans at Fenway Park. Retired outfielder Torii Hunter admitted that he has been called the N-word by younger fans several times, and admitted that he has heard more racist remarks in Boston than any other city in the country.
The team released a statement in June acknowledging that Hunter’s experience is “real.”
This is real. pic.twitter.com/gMp8MEPb46
— Red Sox (@RedSox) June 10, 2020
Kennedy said that messages of racial equality is important to the organization, the players, as well as owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner. The Red Sox were one of the last teams in the MLB to integrate after signing infielder Elijah “Pumpsie Green” in 1959. In 2018, the Red Sox renamed Yawkey Way after a long-running debate over allegations of racism against former Sox owner Tom Yawkey.
Kennedy stressed that both Henry and Werner’s efforts, as well team’s own platform, can help implement change.
“We obviously have a long way to go as an organization, as a front office, as a member of the sports industry. I think all businesses do. All institutions do. But we’re committed to doing the work,” he said. “We’re committed to amplifying powerful messages for progress and fighting against inequality and injustice at every turn. So it’s important for us to be unambiguous about where we stand in respect to Black Lives Matter. It’s really important we support the movement. We support the humanity, the sentiment. And it’s what our organization stands for and we’re proud to amplify that message.
“We’re in a position where we have a platform, and we’ve chosen to amplify that message. We’ve chosen to commit to having the discussions internally and helping move forward.”
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