article_snippet.sent: Politics threaten sports all the time.  
article_snippet.sent: From the demonstrations against the Brazilian government before last summer's World Cup to the massacre of protesting students days before the Opening Ceremony of the Mexico City Olympics in 1968, sports knows well that it sits within the larger context of the world.
article_snippet.sent: Our deep investment in Our teams -- beyond the tax dollars that construct the stadiums and the salaries players make (and the profits the owners and sponsors draw) -- is supposed to work to create community, to unify.  
article_snippet.sent: Cheering for the Home Team is supposed to create a sense of belonging.
article_snippet.sent: While there are a few examples of fan-less games being played in the United States, none have been for such reasons, while in Europe, there have been a handful of incidents in which soccer teams have been punished for fan behavior with fan-less games.
article_snippet.sent: Without fans, does baseball mean anything?
article_snippet.sent: Yet as much of America continues to grapple with the idea that black lives matter, it is clear that America believes sports do matter, whether or not anyone is there to watch.