Traditionally, men’s sports leagues tend to be run by men as well. In the NFL, 22.9% of Vice President roles are held by women, and in the MLB, 23.6% of Vice President roles or higher are held by women. There is no data that states the percentage of executive roles that are held by women in the NHL, women make up 36.8% of the league’s workforce.
The executive women who work in the MLB, NFL, and NHL should be viewed equally, but how do their educational backgrounds differ? From previously collected data, the following information was found:
| NFL | MLB | NHL | |
| Average Acceptance Rate of Undergraduate Institution | 60.2% | 50.9% | 53.2% |
| Average Attended Graduate Institution | 38.5% | 48.2% | 35.9% |
| Average Business/Management Major | 42.1% | 35.1% | 37.2% |
| Of Graduate Students, Average J.D. Completed | 40% | 29.3% | 39.3% |
| Of Graduate Students, Average MBA Completed | 33.3% | 24.4% | 21.4% |
Based on the acceptance rates of undergraduate institutions, MLB would be labeled the most selective, with the NHL and NFL following, respectively. Women executives in MLB have the highest percentages of graduate degree attainment, with about half possessing more than one degree.
Out of all the leagues, the NFL stands out in the fact that most women majored in something business/management related (42.1%). While 42.1%, 35.1%, and 37.2% are all relative, it remains clear that a business/management major provides the clearest path to a career as a female executive in the NFL.
In the MLB, only 29.3% of female executives who attended a graduate institution received a J.D. degree. In the NFL and NHL, the amount of female executives who attended a graduate institution to receive a J.D. degree was around 40%.
All in all, the data from all three sports leagues suggests that attending a moderately selective undergraduate institution, while also majoring in something business/management related is desirable. Even though it is not essential to become a female executive in one of these sports leagues, it is beneficial to have a postgraduate degree to bolster a resume.
