Wright Creative Agency co-Founder Mark Wright looked at the how the pandemic has affected HBCU athletics in the final installment of the SBJ: The Road Ahead Virtual Series. “While COVID-19 continues to show that it’s an equal opportunity pandemic, it brings a whole ‘nother set of challenges to Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” he said. HBCUs and Power Five schools are “miles apart,” according to Wright, when athletics and money are compared. Several HBCU alums also weighed in on the issue. MEAC/SWAC Challenge and Celebration Bowl Exec Dir John Grant said the “largest athletic budget in HBCU is somewhere around” $17M, while a Power Five program “could lose as much as $100 million if they suspended fall sports.” North Carolina A&T AD Earl Hilton III said access to equipment or testing on a regular basis “might separate lower resource institutions from those that have greater access to capital.” That “has a disparate impact” on HBCUs. Washington Football Team Senior VP/Player Development Doug Williams said, “A lot of them might not even be able to sustain themselves, and I think that’s the scary part of this whole thing.”
CHANGING TRENDS: Wright said while “sports at Black schools was never meant to be the main driver,” basketball player Makur Maker is “hoping to be a catalyst to tweak that trend.” The 7-foot center “regarded as a top 20 player in the 2020 class” has committed to play at Howard. Maker said he “started considering it very seriously when the recent social unrest started happening,” adding he was motivated “to change the narrative of athletes, top recruits going to an HBCU.” Maker: “We’re more than just athletes and we’re more than just entertainers.” ESPN's Stan Verrett on Maker’s decision said, “This could be a really good trend because in basketball, you don’t need 10 or 12 guys to all make this decision together to make a difference. You get a couple of players who make the decision to attend your university and it can be a real game (changer).” Williams said, “I know a lot of people think we don’t need HBCUs. That’s not true.” Wright said that is Maker’s “broader initiative,” adding “his presence alone will send a larger message.”
