Black Women have been celebrated as superior athletes in this country for generations. From Flo-Jo to Venus and Serena Williams, society has become comfortable embracing black women’s athleticism. On the court is one thing, but there’s another arena in sports where some ladies are making themselves at home: the front office. From ownership to community outreach African-American women are calling the shots in the NFL and NBA. No doubt they’re playing to win.
Sheila Johnson
In 2000, Robert “Bob” Johnson sold BET to Viacom for $3 billion. That move made his then wife Sheila the first African- American female billionaire. Since the sale of the company and the divorce Sheila Johnson has become an entrepreneurial phenomenon. Among her many business endeavors is Monumental Sports & Entertainment, where she serves as vice chairman. As such she claims majority ownership of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics and minority ownership of the NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals. She is the first black woman to hold a stake in three professional sports teams.
Serena and Venus Williams
Serena and Venus Williams have been comfortable at the top of the tennis world for a while now, but two years ago they achieved another milestone in professional sports. The top ranked sisters became part owners of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. They bought a minority stake in the franchise, becoming the first female African-Americans to hold an ownership stake in an NFL team. The league has no African-American majority owner. In addition to opening that door to the front office, the Williams sisters also want to be ambassadors for their team and facilitate further outreach to the community.
Eve Wright
Eve Wright is the vice president and associate general Counsel for The HEAT Group, the company that runs the NBA’s Miami Heat. As VP she advises the company on a variety of legal issues that pertain to marketing, promotions, concerts, events, corporate sales, merchandising initiatives and player-related matters. Before joining the company Wright was the senior director of business and legal affairs for the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA).
LaRita Barber
LaRita Barber is Vice President of Community Relations with the Charlotte Bobcats. She formerly served as the senior associate director of the Urban Institute at UNC Charlotte where she established relationships within government, the non-profit world and corporate agencies in the Charlotte metropolitan area. Barber was also vice president of small business and area councils for the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce.
Sarah Mensah
Sarah Mensah was promoted to chief marketing officer with the NBA’s Portland Traiblazers in 2008. A Blazer since 1993, Mensah had previously served as the organization’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. The year she was promoted the team experienced the top attendance increase in the league and gained national acclaim for the “Rise With Us” marketing campaign.
Kendyl Moss
Kendyl Baugh Moss is the director of community relations for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. In this role she establishes the link between the pros of the elite franchise and the Joes that root them on. Moss designs community efforts, player outreach events, youth football programming, cheerleader initiatives and junior cheerleader programs. She took on the job about five years ago. Prior to this Moss served as manager of event marketing for the team. Before joining the Falcons Moss was the assistant director of the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship and NCAA Final Four.
Sarah Joseph
Sarah Joseph was hired in the summer of 1994 as the Houston Rockets’ director of community services. As overseer of the community relations department, Joseph not only brings the team’s players and representatives to the community, she also creates and develops initiatives that help the city’s disadvantaged areas. Working to bridge the gap, Joseph also sits on the board of directors of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Houston.
