CLEVELAND — During NBA All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, the conversation at The Union Club Friday was intended to be a game changer: increasing the hiring of Black executives in the professional sports industry.

What You Need To Know

  • The NBA All-Star Game has brought sports executives to the Cleveland area

  • A topic of conversation on Friday was increasing the number of Black executives in business

  • Addressing the issue of discrepancies in the representation of talent and professional athletes is a focal point of the mission of Diverse Representation

Jaia Thomas, sports and entertainment attorney with over 15 years of experience, is the founder and CEO of Diverse Representation. The organization hosted the Sports Industry Brunch on Friday in partnership with WarnerMedia, Morgan Stanley and Porter Wright.

Diverse Representation seeks to increase the exposure and number of Black agents, attorneys, managers and publicists who work in the sports and entertainment industry.

Addressing the issue of racial discrepancies in the representation of talent and professional athletes is a focal point of the mission of Diverse Representation. 

Thomas led a panel discussion that featured a formidable guest list, including Frederick Nance, the global managing partner at Squire Patton Boggs, who has served as business counsel to NBA star LeBron James since the start of the basketball phenom’s career. Nance highlighted the importance of being tenacious and socially responsible.

“You can’t give up,” Nance said. “You have to stay in the mix.”  

Olivia Scarlett, an Emmy Award-winning director of talent relations for Turner Sports, pointed out the significance of networking, urging attendees to “stay connected to each other.”  

“All we want is a level playing field,” said Octavius (Ted) Reid III, senior vice president and wealth adviser with Morgan Stanley.

Reid shared his personal story of perseverance and triumph, explaining how he has spent over 30 years building relationships with clients in the sports and entertainment industry. 

Josh Beauregard-Bell works within the Basketball Division of Octagon Sports. The young sports agent recounted the difficulties he faced while trying to launch a career in the sports industry, saying, “It’s important to have a good support system at work.” 

Nance offered sage advice to aspiring attorneys in the audience, many of whom are students at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

“It is about your personal brand… how you interact with people,” Nance said. “It is about dedicating yourself to whomever you are representing.”  

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