Tamika D. Mallory and Reverend Michael McBride, prominent activists, have written a letter to Panini America, a sports and entertainment collectibles company, criticizing its lack of black leadership and urging immediate reform in its hiring practices. Mallory and McBride highlight the disparity between the company’s executive team and its diverse athlete base, with black and brown athletes contributing 75% of Panini’s revenue. They also note that Panini has generated billions of dollars from these players while employing very few black staff members overall. Mallory and McBride issue an ultimatum, demanding that Panini take corrective action and appoint black leaders to essential positions. If the company fails to do so, they plan to rally athletes and partners, such as the English Premier League, NBA, NFL, NBA Players Association, and FIFA, to boycott Panini. They have also engaged with attorneys general from Texas, New York, and California to address diversity concerns. Mallory, known for her civil rights activism, co-founded Until Freedom and co-chaired the Women’s March on Washington. McBride, co-founder of Black Church PAC, focuses on issues such as mass imprisonment, voting rights, and equitable treatment.
