NAACP launches boycott of Southern college sports over voting‑rights redistricting

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Congressional Black Caucus have launched an “Out of Bounds” campaign urging Black athletes, alumni, fans and donors to withhold athletic and financial support from public universities in eight Southern states – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, South Carolina and Tennessee. The drive follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s 6‑3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act and accelerated Republican‑led redistricting efforts that civil‑rights groups say dilute Black voting power.

The campaign targets flagship football and basketball programs in the SEC and ACC that generate more than $100 million in annual revenue, warning that a boycott could deplete rosters at schools such as Alabama, LSU, Florida, Texas A&M and others. It calls on top recruits to pause commitments, current athletes to consider the transfer portal, and fans to stop buying tickets or merchandise, directing any redirected funds toward historically Black colleges and universities. NAACP President Derrick Johnson said, “What these states have done is not a policy disagreement. It is a sprint to erase Black political power.” The Congressional Black Caucus linked the boycott to its opposition to the SCORE Act unless athletic conferences publicly oppose the disputed redistricting.

The NAACP says the boycott will remain in effect until the targeted states adopt voting‑rights protections, repeal maps that dilute Black voting power and commit to transparent, community‑centered redistricting.