CHANGING THE GAME

In the last decade of Minor League Baseball, there have been fewer than five Black broadcasters calling games for their teams. A large part of this are the barriers to entry for so many people who come from backgrounds that don’t include a financial safety net.

Jobs across the minors which are designed for recent college graduates rarely pay a living wage and never include insurance or benefits. In many cases, the broadcaster is expected to move to a new city and lose money on basic living expenses such as rent and food while making a few hundred dollars a month for six months. Without a support system at home, among other significant financial advantages, accepting this kind of job would be an impossibility.

That is why a $3,000 grant ($500/month for six months) has been established for a Black broadcaster who accepts a seasonal job in Minor League Baseball. Regardless of their financial background, this money exists as both a financial lifeline and a good-faith olive branch from the rest of the industry to say that we want to do everything we can to help your career start in the right direction.

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GRANT RECIPIENT QUALIFICATIONS

All applications should be submitted to Adam [@] blackpxpfund.com with the subject line “Grant Application: Black PxP Fund”

Please include…

  • A cover letter of no more than 750 words explaining your background, how you’re qualified for the grant, which team you’ve been hired by and what has brought you to be interested in pursuing a career in play-by-play

  • A baseball radio and/or TV play-by-play demo

RECOMMENDATIONS:
Include a link to your personal website, or upload the audio and video files for free to SoundCloud or YouTube and send those links.
**Please do not attach audio or video files to your e-mail**
The length of your play-by-play segment should be no more than 10 minutes.

Each applicant will hear from the review board and schedule a time for an initial phone/video conference call. Additional conversations may be required to select a grant recipient based on the number of applicants in any given year.

The grant recipient will receive consideration based on being hired for a job that is A) not full-time, B) does not provide benefits and C) requires working for a team for at least five months. Exceptions will be considered and reviewed by the Board of Directors on a case-by-case basis.