WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Around the world climate change, protests have disrupted everything from the daily commute to a night at the museum.

And as we saw last week at the U.S. Open, they are now spreading to sporting events.

Ali Rogin is back with this report.

ALI ROGIN: A crucial match at this year's U.S. Open between two rising tennis stars delayed for nearly an hour by protesters, one of them even glued his feet to the floor of Arthur Ashe Stadium, the focus of their demonstration bringing an end to fossil fuels.

More and more climate change activists are using high profile sports events as megaphones to spread their message to wider audiences.

Disrupting NBA games, soccer matches, even play on Wimbledon storied grass courts.

Matt Woosnam writes for The Athletic.

MATT WOOSNAM, Staff Writer, The Athletic: The U.N. have warned that the climate crisis is out of control.

I think that sort of cause people to join these groups and to make their voices heard in a different way.

ALI ROGIN: A skydiver dropping in on the European soccer championships, protesters releasing orange dust during a major English Rugby tournament, and arrests at golf British Open and England's Grand National steeplechase all play to captive audiences.

MATT WOOSNAM: Millions of people watch this so there's already a platform there for them to be able to get their message out.

ALI ROGIN: For some of the protests seem counterproductive.

After protesters invaded the track during the opening lap of last year's British Grand Prix Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton said he was all for peaceful protest, but this one endangered lives.

And after protesters tossed oversized tennis balls onto the court during a match earlier this summer, American tennis player Taylor Fritz said the disruption ruin the experience for spectators.

He joked that it actually made him want to take more flights on jets which create more carbon emissions than any other form of transportation.

MATT WOOSNAM: There are people in the climate activism movement who do believe that actually what these people are doing is actually counterproductive.

And they're not saying don't protest, but they're saying don't do it in the way that these activists are doing.

ALI ROGIN: Sports leagues and organizations are trying to discourage these demonstrations, working with authorities to develop protocols for dealing with them, and telling both players and fans not to take matters into their own hands and let security deal with it.

But for now, the protesters believe the disruptions are achieving their goals.

Interruptions that are meant to spur dialogue on climate change, giving new meaning to the phrase leaving it all out on the field.

For PBS News Weekend, I'm Ali Rogin.