The Black Ownership in Sports Symposium is a one-day conference providing Black sports enthusiasts with details on how to acquire a stake in professional sports teams.
The intimate event, first held in Atlanta in 2023, is returning for the second year with hourlong panels, workshops and talks with minority owners and executives who help structure deals with sports franchises. The program takes place at The Buckhead Club on Saturday.
Jaia Thomas, a Los Angeles-based sports and entertainment attorney, told UATL she created the Black Ownership in Sports Symposium because she wants to incorporate more diversity and access in sports leadership.
“The majority of the players are Black in the NFL and NBA, but in that ownership suite, it’s still very white. There’s not a lot of public information or stuff you can Google that teaches people how to be owners,” Thomas said.
“We wanted to give Black people the tools and information they need if they’re interested in owning professional sports teams.”
Credit: Diverse Representation
Credit: Diverse Representation
Thomas wanted to host the event in Atlanta because of the city’s rising number of prominent Black professionals becoming more involved in that process.
“Atlanta is the home of Black entrepreneurship and so many Black folks who believe in ownership. We wanted to have it in a place that actually believes in teams with Black owners,” she said.
Breakfast will be offered on the morning of the event, then film director Will Packer will deliver a fireside chat about his evolution from Hollywood to sports. He’ll also pass out signed copies of his new book, “Who Better Than You: The Art of Healthy Arrogance and Dreaming Big.”
Executives from Goldman Sachs are leading a workshop on the cost of purchasing teams and providing tips on finding the capital. The morning sessions conclude with a discussion on the approval process.
After lunch, Magic Johnson Enterprises’ first female president, Christina Francis, is leading a conversation on why the retired Los Angeles Laker superstar decided to invest in the Los Angeles Dodgers, Sparks and Washington Commanders.
Thomas said she wanted to expose the audience to how Black women have been instrumental in Johnson’s business ventures.
“She’s behind the scenes and the one really in charge of deciding what he signs off on. He owns a stake in several professional sports teams, but he’s not really the one that does the approving,” Thomas said.
Paxton Baker, minority owner of the Washington Nationals baseball team, follows Francis with a fireside chat about his journey to ownership.
Credit: PKB Enterprises
Credit: PKB Enterprises
Asrat Alemu — vice president of Project Level, a subsidiary of Chicago-based asset management company Ariel Investments — is speaking on an afternoon panel about investing in women’s sports. He told UATL growing public interest is making women’s sports a lucrative investment.
“More girls are playing youth sports, people are watching and attending games, the media is covering and sponsors are committing to women’s sports teams and leagues. It’s driving higher revenue and valuations, and we’re all in,” Alemu said.
Participants can attend a networking reception after the conference and are eligible to receive tickets to the Atlanta Hawks game against Golden State Warriors that evening.
Thomas hopes the conference will lead to more inclusion across professional sports.
“I want to give people the proper steps here, see more variety in sports across the board and Black people represented in all facets of the industry. It can’t just be the players but also the coaches, presidents and managers. Any way I can help close that gap is what I work toward,” Thomas said.
9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 22. 3344 Peachtree Road NE #2600, Atlanta. 404-262-2262. blacksportsownership.com
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