For years, there was a disconnect between the representation of athletes playing on the field or courts and those who made the big decisions for the sports industry. As time evolves, more and more Black athletes continue to dominate the world of sports, particularly in the NBA and NFL. According to data from Statista, Black athletes make up over 70% of active NBA players during the 2023 season. For the NFL, Statista further reports that a bit more than 56% of players in 2022 were Black athletes. Although the percentage of Black players is disproportionately lower in other major sports leagues such as the MLB (6.2%) or the NHL (less than 5%), the push and impact of Black players can be felt across the entire sports landscape. The increased diversification throughout sports as an industry, some would argue, necessitated the need for more decision-makers in executive roles — primarily team ownership. In 2002, the barrier was broken as the founder of BET, Robert “Bob” Johnson, became...