The biggest names in sport are joining forces in a new campaign to fight anti-Semitism.
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and his foundation unveiled a star-studded “Time Out Against Hate” ad Thursday in partnership with Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association Association, the National Football League. , the National Women’s Soccer League and NASCAR.
The campaign follows a new report released on Sunday by the Anti-Defamation League which revealed that there were more than 10,000 anti-Semitic incidents in the US in the year following the October 7 Hamas terror attack in Israel. The Foundation for Combating Anti-Semitismfounded by Kraft, says that 10% of adult men in the US are blatantly prejudiced against Jews and tend to be outspoken about it.
“What’s going on in the country right now — I’ve never seen anything like it,” Kraft said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” Thursday. “And I’m worried what will happen after the election.”
Robert Kraft, founder of the Foundation to Combat Anti-Semitism (FCAS), lights up the Empire State Building to stand up to Jew-hatred and all hatred on October 7, 2024 in New York City.
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The commercial, featuring the likes of Billie Jean King, Shaquille O’Neal, Jim Harbaugh, Doc Rivers, Joe Torre, Ryan Blaney and Candace Parker, will premiere Thursday as part of of Amazon Thursday Night Football schedule with San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks. The campaign will also run across digital platforms and billboards across the country.
“By uniting under a common cause, we are amplifying our message and proving that the power of sports extends beyond the stadiums, arenas and fields and into our communities,” Kraft said in a statement announcing the campaign. . “This initiative is a call to action for everyone to join in creating a world where hate is faced with a united stance of empathy, understanding and respect.”
Last year it was organized by Kraft meeting of sports commissioners than almost ever league to try to deal with the hateful dialogue going on. The leaders discussed ideas and opportunities for cooperation.
The campaign has since expanded to include all hatred, be it gender, religion or race.
“We wanted to make sure it was anti-black, anti-LGBTQ, anti-Muslim,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in the CNBC interview, along with Kraft and NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman. “Because hate is corrosive to our society and the foundations of our democracy.”
Berman said Kraft asked commissioners to lean in and change the narrative when it comes to hate.
“I think we have a responsibility as leaders of professional sports leagues to have a big impact,” Berman said. “We’ve known throughout history that sport has the power to change the world.”
Kraft established the Foundation to Combat Anti-Semitism in 2019 to help address the growing hatred of Jews in the United States. His organization works with companies such as Bank of America and shoemaker Adidas, as well as colleges to raise awareness of incidents of anti-Semitism on campus.
“We’re able to tell college campuses what’s going on on their campuses before their security people see it,” Kraft said.
In April, Kraft said it was he is no longer comfortable financially supporting his Alma MaterColumbia University, on the administration’s handling of anti-Israel protesters on campus. In June he announced a Donate $1 million to Yeshiva University to cover tuition for Jewish students who wish to transfer.