WNBA receives top marks for diversity
(AP)
Updated: 2006-07-21 09:30 ORLANDO, Fla. - With twice as
many women CEOs this year as last and the only female league president, the WNBA
remained the only pro sports league to receive top marks in a study released
Thursday of gender and racial diversity in sports.
The study by the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and
Ethics in Sport pointed out that the percentage of women employed in WNBA league
offices was the lowest since 1998, falling from 90 percent in 2004 to 70 percent
in 2005.
"There's been an increasing percentage of men in administrative positions on
WNBA teams pretty gradually since the start," said study author Richard
Lapchick. "They had almost 100 percent women in a lot of categories. The WNBA
has become comfortable enough with itself that they're bringing men into that
picture."
The number of black players fell 3 percent from the previous year to 63
percent, while international players increased 3 percent to make up 19 percent
of the total.
The WNBA had its lowest percentage of minority coaches since 1998, with 15
percent — a 16-point drop from 2004. However, those numbers aren't weighted as
highly in the study as front-office personnel, such as female presidents and
CEOs, which increased to four in 2006.
The league also hired Donna Orender, the only woman league president, in
2005.
Lapchick gave the WNBA the only A for gender diversity in pro sports. The
league also received an A in racial diversity, joining the NBA as the only pro
leagues to achieve that distinction.
It's the third time the WNBA has received an overall A for both racial and
gender diversity combined, a first in the 14-year history of the study.
"They started out with (diversity) as a primary commitment," Lapchick said.
A WNBA spokeswoman reached by telephone Thursday afternoon had not seen the
study and did not immediately comment.
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