Black athletes and fans are being urged to get political and reject the athletic programs of flagship public universities within states working to “limit, weaken, or erase black voting representation” in the wake of last month’s Supreme Court ruling that further defined the Voting Rights Act.
The NAACP and Congressional Black Caucus made the call on Tuesday while pinpointing eight southern states for boycott action: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) (L) looks on as Congressional Black Caucus Chairperson Yvette Clarke (D-NY) speaks in opposition to the SCORE Act in front of the U.S. Capitol on May 19, 2026 in Washington, DC. The proposed federal SCORE Act (Student Compensation and Opportunity Through Rights and Endorsements Act) establishes a unified national framework for college sports. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
A number of the schools have nationally ranked football programs, including the University of Alabama, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Georgia and the University of Mississippi.
AP reports the NAACP’s “Out of Bounds” campaign wants current and prospective black athletes, their families, alumni and fans to “withhold athletic and financial support” from major public universities in states that allegedly “moved to limit, weaken or erase black voting representation.”
If black athletes participate in the boycott, the AP report predicts it could dilute rosters for powerhouse football and basketball programs across the Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference.
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D- NY) claimed the boycott was meant to oppose “a dramatic return to racially oppressive Jim Crow-like tactics.” He added while athletes ultimately had to make individual choices, they would be supported by lawmakers and civil rights leaders in their decision-making process.
“We’re going to support them, and we know they have options,” Jeffries declared.
The AP report further detailed the Congressional Black Caucus sent a letter to SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips and NCAA President Charlie Baker.
The letter threatened to oppose federal athlete-contract legislation (the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements Act, known as the SCORE Act) unless the conferences oppose GOP-led redistricting efforts in states with major conference members.