¿Muy valiente, o loco?: How “Los Suns” Created a Political Controversy That Transcends Basketball

Abstract

This article presents a brief overview of the instances in which American professional sports teams have worn Spanish-language jerseys. It examines in detail the one case in which the Spanish-language jerseys became a point of controversy—when the Phoenix Suns wore a “Los Suns” jersey in the 2010 playoffs. The article discusses what the use of these jerseys says about relations between recent Latino immigrants, the established Latino population, and the Anglo-American population in the United States, and it provides insights into why this practice might be a smart move by professional sports leagues and teams.