Field studies highlights

The root question of our Field Studies series asks: What paths are taken to achieve the highest levels of leadership in sport, and should these paths be re-evaluated? The research takes a deeper dive into the racial, ethnic and gender diversity among the highest ranks in several leagues and sports, or more often than not, the lack thereof.

We began our fi rst Field Study in December of 2019 with arguably one the most visible leadership roles in sports: coaching in the NFL. Following the league’s infamous ‘Black Monday,’ the day known for breaking news on which coaches would be fi red, the fi ve resulting vacancies ended with only one person of Color, Ron Rivera, named as an incoming head coach. Moreover, four out of the fi ve franchises with vacancies that year had to that point never hired a coach of Color.

In 2020-21, we increased the breadth and depth of our Field Studies series. We first expanded our examination of the NFL and collected data going back to 2003 and the inception of the well-known ‘Rooney Rule.’ We also included two new collegiate sectors: NCAA Power Five football coaches and NCAA athletic directors. In the years ahead, we will continue to monitor the data in each of these segments and add new studies each year.

In the 2002-03 season and at the inception of the Rooney Rule, 80% of incoming NFL head coaches were White while 20% were coaches of Color. In the 2019-20 season, that percentage remained unchanged.

The football teams of the SEC have hired the lowest percentage of head coaches of Color, at 64%. Big 12 football teams have hired the highest percentage of head coaches of Color, at 80%.

Within the timeframe studied, incoming Black athletic directors held graduate degrees at a rate of 89% compared to 79% of White athletic directors. At the doctoral degree level, 27% of the incoming Black athletic directors held these degrees compared to 19% of their White peers. All incoming Asian American, Latino and Latina athletic directors held graduate degrees.