HBCU Writers's Project
For Immediate Release
April 11, 2010
Contact Information

Dorian Parker
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

(BPRW) Minor League Baseball Seeks Minority Employment

- MLB Pressed to Get More Minority Workers on Board -

(BLACK PR WIRE/FAMU-TALLAHASSEE) – The Minor League Baseball Association is seeking for more minority workers in their organization. President and COO Pat O’Conner and a team of representatives have been traveling to various Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to meet minority students face to face, and receive feedback about their interest in the industry. O’Conner has put forth a great deal of effort by creating a speakers’ series at these HBCUs, where a program is designed to inform students about opportunities within the Minor League Baseball organization.

“I have come up with five different ways that we can get the minority involved in this organization,” Pat O’Conner proclaims. “We can get feet in the door with ownership diversity, executive management level, staff diversity, fan base and business to business relationships.”

The Minor League Baseball Association is a $750 million dollar industry and consists of about 159 baseball teams/clubs. The players in minor league and major league baseball are about 25-30 percent Hispanic, and about eight percent African-American. The percentage of blacks that work for the organization is even less. Pat O’Conner realizes the importance of having a diverse organization, and is ready to implement change.

Darryl Henderson, Assistant of Special Operations, and Louis Brown III, Baseball Operations and Legal Affairs, are interested in implementing an educational program within the Minor League to educate students and graduates about the organization and future job opportunities. This program will consist of internships, job offers and projects that students will be able to observe and assist with.

“We also deal with athletic clothing,” says Jesse Sims, creator of clothing lines in relationship with New Era Clothing. “We have businesses in various cities such as Miami and Vero Beach, FL. We are looking to get input and creative and innovative ideas from the minority to add to our business.”

There are job openings and internships in any of the cities where there is a Minor League team/ball club. The Minor League Baseball Association is targeting the minority right now, and is seeking people to take advantage of this opportunity. They are looking for fresh ideas, and hard-working individuals to take the Minor League to the next level.

Information about job opportunities and the Minor League Baseball Association can be found at the website, www.PBEO.com (Professional Baseball Employment Opportunity), www.NILB.com or at www.minorleaguebaseball.com.