The NBA received an A- for minority hiring, with the NFL and
MLB both getting B's, according to the "Racial Report Card" put
out by Northeastern Univ.'s Center for the Study for Sport in
Society. The report found a record number of minorities playing
in the three sports leagues: 82% in the NBA, 68% in the NFL, and
38% in MLB. However, the three sports took a step back in the
hiring of minority head coaches, from 14 to 12 overall. The
study also found no African-Americans heading a team's medical
staff (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 9/13). In the "crucial category" of
top level management, Center Dir Richard Lapchick said the
leagues "have seemed to reached a plateau, as the NBA topped out
at 15%, while the NFL and MLB had minorities in only 5% and 6% of
top positions respectively (USA TODAY, 9/13). Among player
unions, the NBPA and NFLPA received high marks, while baseball's
union received a C- (USA TODAY, 9/13). The study assigns grades
based on percentages, with A's given to those filling at least
24% of jobs with minorities, B's for 12% or more, and a C for
those filling 6% (USA TODAY, 9/13).
