Hail Mary: Considering Alternatives to the NCAA\u27s Inaction to Remedy Discriminatory Hiring Practices in Division I Football

Abstract

The current changing tides in the modern-day sports landscape makes now the perfect time to understand the crux of the racial disparity issue in an effort to target the groups best suited to ameliorate the issue. At a time where the governance model of the NCAA is in flux, many are calling for federal and state intervention. The changing tides in the modern-day sports landscape make now an appropriate time to revisit the dilemma. This Essay describes racial disparity obstacles in NCAA hiring practices and identifies an array of possible actors best suited to make the fix. Section I presents statistics that demonstrate the severity of the head coach diversity issue in Division I (DI) NCAA football. Section II seeks to document the NCAA’s official response and action steps the entity has implemented to remedy the situation. Section III outlines the most commonly suggested “fix”: The Robinson Rule. This section will introduce the NCAA version of the National Football League’s (NFL) Rooney Rule and explain why the NCAA has refused to enforce it. Next, Section IV will briefly discuss alternatives to the Rooney Rule that may lead to a solution that appoints qualified Black head coaching positions proportionate to Black student athlete’s involvement in the NCAA. Finally, Section V concludes with a call to action