Big 12 to Unveil Anti-Racism Campaign Along with Voter Registration Plans

The Big 12 will have an "anti-racism, anti-hate" campaign, along with plans to increase voter registration, during the 2020 season.

Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said the league has created a Black student-athlete council, featuring a male and female athlete from each member university, along with forms of social justice messaging. Players will wear a black sticker on the back of their helmet that says "Unity" and be able to wear a social justice slogan on the front of their uniforms.

"I think systemic racism is not going away any time soon. Hopefully we can make progress," Bowlsby told reporters.

Bowlsby added teams will be allowed and encouraged to have demonstrations against racism before games. Schools remain in discussion on how to handle the national anthem. The Big 12 has no rule preventing players from kneeling for the anthem and cannot fine players, so it's likely players who wish to kneel will be able to do so. 

Some schools have chosen not to take the field for the anthem. 

Social justice messaging is expected to continue playing a huge part in sporting events across the fall, with demonstrations already taking place across nearly every major competitive league in the United States. This year has been defined in large part by racial unrest following the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the shooting of Jacob Blake and other forms of systemic racism against Black people.

The Big 12 is looking to be part of the solution, though further details will be needed to see each school's plan for change.