Lebron James is the best basketball player in the world. The most recognizable, and is the biggest commodity the game has. If he decided tomorrow, that he wanted to organize his own league, he could convince players, sponsors, and fans to follow.
“Lebron James is more powerful than Adam Silver(NBA commissioner)”
I laughed at that statement when I heard it. I corrected it. Lebron James could be more powerful than Adam Silver, if the brotha wasn’t scared of independence.
You can have the potential to be more powerful than your boss. You can not be more powerful than your boss. Think about that. As much power and freedom as one has, your power is limited to the rules that your boss requires you to follow.
African Americans have reached a point where the “can we have a seat at the table” mentality does not apply anymore. We are beyond that mark in some industries. Sports for example are one area that African American males still apply this mentality, despite the power that they have.
NBA players receive 49-51% of all Basketball Related Income. This is despite the fact that, they do all the physical work and are clearly the reason why the league generates billions of dollars.
Best example of this would be in the NBA.
Before 1950, African American men could not play in the NBA due to racial discrimination. That changed when Earl Llyod took the court in 1950 for the Washington Capitals. Over the next 50 years, not only did African Americans become the most represented demographic in the NBA, we also became the biggest commodity the NBA has.
Despite this fact, players are still grateful for the opportunity to play in the NBA. When in reality the NBA is grateful that players still think they need the NBA to be paid large amounts of money to play basketball.
African American players do not realize that they have their own table. Sponsors would follow, and so would fans. It would be white billionaires and millionaires, asking for a spot at the table.
That is power.