ABOUT USLeading the Charge for Diversity and Ethics in Sports
OUR founderDr. Richard Lapchick
A human rights activist, pioneer for racial equality, internationally-recognized expert on sports issues, scholar, and author, Dr. Richard E. Lapchick has been described as “the racial conscience of sport.” He brought his commitment to equality and his belief that sport can be an effective instrument of positive social change to the University of Central Florida where he accepted an endowed chair in August 2001. He was named “One of the 100 Most Powerful People in Sport” for six years and “one of the 20 most powerful people in college sports.” He has also received nine honorary degrees. He remains President and CEO of the National Consortium for Academics and Sport and helped bring the NCAS national office to UCF.
OUR MISSIONChampioning Equality and Social Change through the Power of Sport
The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES), launched under Richard Lapchick's leadership in December 2002, focuses on promoting diversity and ethics within the sports industry. TIDES is renowned for publishing the Racial and Gender Report Card, an annual study that evaluates the racial and gender hiring practices across major professional sports, college sports, and media in the United States. This report highlights long-term trends and recognizes organizations that excel in diversity within their coaching and management teams. In addition, TIDES provides diversity management training to sports organizations, including college athletic departments and professional leagues such as the NBA, MLS, and NASCAR, to name a few. TIDES also addresses critical ethical issues in sport, publishing studies on graduation rates for college athletes with a distinct focus on racial disparities, and monitoring ethical practices in college and professional sports.
Building on our commitment to diversity and ethics in sport, we have established partnerships with most of the U.S. professional sports leagues to produce our Racial and Gender Report Cards. These collaborations have allowed our research to gain significant recognition, being featured by prominent news outlets such as the New York Times, USA Today, and ESPN.
OUR Director
Dr. Brandon Brown
Dr. Brandon Brown was appointed director of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport in 2024, following his extensive contributions to the field and his commitment to promoting diversity and ethical practices in sports.