Significance of Major League Baseball amidst the African American public post-Jackie Robinson integration
A New Ball Game: Reviving MLB's Connection with the African American Community
There's no denying that MLB has lost some ground with the African American community. We all know what's contributed to this disconnect. The question now is, what's being done to fix it? And more importantly, what needs to be done to bring back the droves of African American players and fans?
Let's talk turkey with the St. Louis Cardinals, one of the league's teams. When I asked them about the decline of African Americans in baseball and their current approach, here's what they had to say:
"Our charitable foundation, Cardinals Care, oversees the innovative Redbird Rookies program since 2004. This free co-ed baseball/softball league provides uniforms, equipment, off-field support in health, education, mentoring, and cultural arts to nearly 2,500 kids who otherwise might not have the opportunity to play. We also recommend reaching out to MLB for more insights."
MLB has been trying to combat the trend for years. Case in point, the RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) program. A fantastic initiative, but founded back in 1989 by John Young. MLB took over operations in a bid to keep it running.
Want to know what the doc said about all of this? Dr. Brandon Brown is the Director of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES). Here are his thoughts:
"I think baseball might've lost its groove within pop culture. When Ken Griffey Junior set the trend for his signature backwards baseball cap, we had video games starring black baseball players. This was all about involving culture, about representing African American communities. I'm not too sure that's the case anymore."
Moving on from this era, it's clear that MLB has made strides in terms of diversity among players. In 1993, African Americans made up 16.9% of the player pool, while Latinos represented 16.8%. Fast forward to 2023, and white players accounted for about 60% of the roster. Baseball has done a commendable job in creating a more diverse player pool.
MLB's been investing heavily in Latin and Asian countries, building academies and scouting abroad. This has kept the pipeline full while offering the added advantage of signing players for a fraction of the cost stateside.
But what about outreach within the U.S.? Well, there's uniforms, fields, and the occasional instructional camp. While these initiatives give kids a taste of baseball, they don't necessarily open doors to a career in the sport. Most players drafted in the U.S. today have played on at least one travel team—the places offering the best coaching and top-notch equipment. Counterintuitive? Most parents can't afford that, even when MLB foots the bill.
So where does MLB go from here? It's tough to say. And it gets even more complicated when you view the landscape through the lens of our current political climate.
Several of their outreach programs are under attack, while others are being pushed to the side by the federal government. The MLB Diversity Pipeline Program, the Diversity Fellowship Program, the Diversity in Ticket Sales Training Program, and the Diverse Business Partners Program were established to widen the pool of qualified, underrepresented candidates for both on-field and front-office baseball operations roles.
That's a mouthful, right? And now here's the kicker: America First Legal, an organization founded by Stephen Miller, filed a federal civil rights complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against MLB for these programs being discriminatory.
As for the EEOC, their official stance was, "We're prohibited by federal law from commenting on charges (complaints/claims) or even confirming or denying the existence of a charge." I heard crickets from America First Legal when I reached out.
It seems the future's up in the air,oki? But Dr. Brown's got some food for thought:
"I'm not too sure if baseball is doing good enough connecting culturally to young African Americans. That to me seems to be the number one problem, but also the hardest to overcome."
Enrichment Data:
Major League Baseball (MLB) continues showing dedication to fostering African American participation in the league and reconnecting with African American communities through multiple initiatives. Current efforts like Jackie Robinson Day celebrations, the MLB Together platform, and partnerships with non-profits aim to bridge cultural gaps while promoting education and inclusion.
Despite criticisms and challenges from organizations like America First Legal, MLB's diversity programs persist and receive support from the EEOC. Moving forward, strengthening community engagement, establishing cultural ambassador programs, and collaborating with historical baseball institutions could help reinforce MLB's connection with African Americans.
- While the St. Louis Cardinals are taking steps to revive baseball in African American communities through programs like Redbird Rookies, they urge reaching out to Major League Baseball (MLB) for more insights.
- Dr. Brandon Brown, the Director of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES), laments that baseball may have lost its cultural representation of African American communities and questions whether MLB is doing enough to connect with young African Americans.
- MLB has made strides in creating a more diverse player pool, but outreach within the U.S. seems to fall short, with most drafted players having played on travel teams—an option that many parents can't afford.
- Although the MLB Diversity Pipeline Program and other initiatives designed to widen the pool of underrepresented candidates have been criticized as discriminatory by organizations like America First Legal, the EEOC has offered support to these programs.
- To further strengthen its connection with African American communities, MLB could consider strategies such as establishing cultural ambassador programs, partnering with historical baseball institutions, and collaborating with non-profits to bridge cultural gaps while promoting education and inclusion.
