Mar 18
by Jeff Fannell in Baseball, MLB 1 comments tags: Arizona Diamond Backs, Diversity, MLB Diversity Business Summit

Views from the MLB Diversity Summit

I recently had the pleasure to attend the MLB Diversity Business Summit in Phoenix, AZ. Getting right to it, I will say that Wendy Lewis and her staff put on a wonderful event. Wendy’s title is an impressive mouthful (Senior Vice President of Diversity Inclusion & Strategic Alliances, Major League Baseball), but the event was even more impressive. From beginning to end, there was important information being shared, connections being made and opportunities set forth and presented that were all geared toward helping those interested, including minorities and women, get into the game of baseball. I attended the event on behalf of the Major League Baseball Players Association, and had the honor of participating in the summit’s opening, which included a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. Following that, there was a “Fireside Chat” with MLB Network’s Harold Reynolds conducting a one-on-one interview with the Commissioner. The next panel focused on The Player Perspective on Diversity and Inclusion, and it included Kim Ng, Senior VP, Baseball Operations, MLB, recently retired MLB player LaTroy Hawkins, Billy Bean, VP, Inclusion & Social Responsibility, MLB, Luis González, former Major Leaguer and currently Special Assistant to the President & CEO, Arizona Diamondbacks, […]
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Mar 07
by Lori Lord in Baseball, Career, MLB, Sports Business, Sports Law 0 comments tags: Baseball, Business, Leaders, MLB, MLB Diversity Business Summit, MLBPA

Jeff Fannell to Join All-Star Speaker Line Up at MLB Diversity Business Summit

  PHOENIX, AZ- Tuesday March 8th, Jeff Fannell, President of Jeff Fannell & Associates, will be speaking at the MLB Diversity Business Summit, featuring some of the best talent the business has to offer. Jeff will speak on panel “The Laws of Baseball: The Complexity of the Legal Issues of the Game” in two separate sessions. The complexity of the game of baseball on the field of play is matched only by the complex legal issues surrounding the business of the game.  Panelists will speak about a broad spectrum of topics ranging from labor issues (including collective bargaining and player arbitrations) to intellectual property issues (including the licensing and protection of trademarks and copyrights) to a whole host of topics that teams are faced with on a day-to-day basis (including complex contract negotiations and issues relating to facility management, marketing, security and customer satisfaction). The MLB Diversity Business Summit is the premier sports employment conference and supplier diversity trade fair. This two-day event allows job seekers and entrepreneurs the unique opportunity of meeting with MLB’s Clubs at both the Major League and Minor League levels as well as sponsorship partners. For more info on attendance and speakers visit:  http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/mlb_official_info_diverse.jsp?content=summit   […]
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Mar 04
by Jeff Fannell in Baseball, MLB, Sports Issues 0 comments tags: Black History, Diversity, Major League Baseball, MLB Diversity Business Summit, Tony Clark

Baseball’s Diversity Challenge

Baseball is back. Spring training camps are opened and games have begun. In a few weeks, the excitement of Opening Day will hit all 30 Major League cities. On April 15, baseball will once again celebrate Jackie Robinson Day, commemorating and honoring the day Jackie made his Major League debut in 1947, breaking baseball’s color line and becoming the first African-American ballplayer in the Majors. All field personnel will wear Jackie’s No. 42 uniform number in his honor. It’s a great celebration of a great man, whose contributions transcend sports and are firmly woven into the fabric of our nation’s history. As we celebrate Jackie, we will also hear what has become a familiar refrain: the dwindling number of African-Americans playing baseball at all levels. It is an issue that has been diced and sliced to such a degree through conversation and analysis that there is nothing really left to be said. Thankfully, MLB and the MLBPA have taken steps to move beyond the talking stage through their $30 million joint initiative to increase youth participation in baseball and softball. The initiative was announced last year and there have been a number of positive steps taken, the early returns of […]
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