Revisiting the Relationship Between Sports Fandom and the Black Criminal Stereotype: A Replication and Extension Study.

This article examines whether sports fans' perceptions of criminal athletes, particularly regarding the "Black criminal stereotype," have changed since a 2018 study, especially in light of social movements like Black Lives Matter (BLM) and #MeToo. Using an experimental design with 603 participants, the study found that while sports fandom still relates to stereotypical judgments, individual factors such as social conservatism, endorsement of African American stereotypes, and gender—especially identifying as a woman—play stronger roles in shaping attitudes toward athlete criminality. The research also revealed that the sport played influences racial assumptions: football players accused of crimes were more likely to be presumed Black, whereas soccer players were more likely presumed White, affecting perceptions of guilt and sentencing severity. Overall, the findings suggest a potential shift toward reduced activation of the Black criminal stereotype among sports fans, possibly influenced by broader social and cultural movements, though further research is needed to clarify these dynamics.