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Let’s talk about the question a lot of folks in college athletics don’t want to answer: Who is worth being saved?
In this episode of Five with Fry, I dig into a pattern I’ve seen for years, but that hit differently after attending a Drake Group Symposium. The panel I sat in on, The Price of Progress, explored how the changing economics of college athletics (think NIL, revenue sharing, and recruiting budgets) are already impacting diversity in coaching. And, y’all, the numbers are ugly.
In 2024 alone, 11 Black women volleyball coaches at the Power Five level were fired. These weren’t underperforming programs. These weren’t coaches with scandalous headlines. These were Black women doing their jobs, and doing them just as well as their white counterparts.
So why were they the ones let go?
Attorney Thomas Newkirk said it plainly: Black coaches aren’t doing anything differently than white coaches. What’s different is who’s seen as worth holding the line for when the heat turns up.
Because here’s what’s happening now: Parents, athletes, and fans don’t just complain. They take it to social media. And that public criticism gets loud, fast.
When that happens, administrators have a choice to make: Do they back their coach? Or do they cut ties to protect the brand?
Too often, those decisions fall along predictable racial and gender lines. We’ve all seen white male coaches survive terrible seasons and bad press. But Black coaches—especially Black women—get let go for far less. And we’re still out here pretending win-loss records tell the whole story?
They don’t.
Now throw NIL and revenue sharing into the mix. Coaches aren’t just evaluated on performance anymore. They’re being measured by their ability to bring in recruits, dollars, and attention. And when the stakes get high, the bias shows. Who gets seen as a long-term investment? Who gets written off as too risky?
We need to stop hiding behind performance metrics and start asking the harder questions. Who gets grace? Who gets second chances? Who gets protected when things get tough?
And more importantly: Who doesn’t?
If you’re in leadership, this episode is for you. If you’re working in athletics, this episode is for you. And if you care about equity in sports, this episode is definitely for you.
🎧 Listen now to “Holding the Line: The Uncomfortable Truth About Who Gets Protected in College Sports” on Five with Fry wherever you get your podcasts, and let’s keep the conversation going.
