It is troubling to see so many activists, politicians, and commentators on the far and centre left trying to appropriate the Knicks’ success for the political camp of the DSA, and especially its most prominent product, NYC Mayor
@ZohranKMamdani.
Some do it in jest. Others, including many of Mayor Mamdani’s ideological allies and fellow DSA politicians, do it to build cults of personality, win votes for their political movement, and elevate politicians who had absolutely nothing to do with what happened on the court.
This is not new. Authoritarian movements have long attached themselves to sporting success. Franco’s regime used Real Madrid’s dominance as a symbol of its supposed greatness. Communist regimes routinely portrayed Olympic medals and sporting achievements as proof of the superiority of their political systems. There are countless other examples from across the political spectrum.
What makes this even more absurd is seeing self described socialists claim ownership of the success of a professional sports franchise operating in a league funded entirely by private capital, from billionaire owners and corporate sponsors to lucrative media rights deals.
In a healthy democracy, politicians congratulate teams and move on. They do not encourage supporters to believe that electoral victories and political rule produce championships. Every joke, meme, and tongue in cheek claim contributes to a culture in which some people eventually begin to believe it.
The fact that some populist politicians are actively leaning into this narrative and indulging it, rather than rejecting it, is profoundly unhealthy and corrosive to democratic culture.
🚨 Zohran Mamdani promised a Knicks championship within his first term.
Last night, the Knicks won the NBA Finals for the first time in 53 years.