Welcome to the latest episode of Fundamentals with Ian Thomas, a Front Office Sports interview show featuring leading operators and voices of the sports industry.
On Thursday May 14th, we will be joined by Dr. Richard Lapchick, a renowned human rights activist and leading expert on social issues in sport.
More about Dr. Richard Lapchick…
(extended bio provided by guest)
Human rights activist, pioneer for racial equality, internationally recognized expert on sports and social issues, scholar and author Richard E. Lapchick is often 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 University of Central Florida where he accepted an endowed chair in August 2001 to launch the DeVos Sports Business Management Program.
In 2015 it was named the #2 program in the world by SportsBusiness International.
Lapchick is a prolific writer. His 17th book was published in 2018. Lapchick is a regular columnist for ESPN.com and The Sports Business Journal. He has written more than 600 articles and has given more than 3,000 public speeches. He has spoken in the United States Congress, at the United Nations, in the European Parliament and at the Vatican
Lapchick received his 10th honorary degree in 2019. He was named the Florida Public Citizen of the Year in 2006. He has been the recipient of numerous humanitarian awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award for Work in Civil Rights from the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rainbow/Push Coalition in 2009He was inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame of the Commonwealth Nations in the category of Humanitarian along with Arthur Ashe and Nelson Mandela.
Lapchick was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. He was named as one of Beyond Sports Inspirational 50 people (living and passed) who used sport to change the world along with Billie Jean King, Muhammad Ali and Nelson Mandela.
In 2016, he was honored by the Harvard Medical School with the Harvard Impact Global Health Catalyst Distinguished Leader Award for his work in diversity and inclusion. In 2017, he was named as the NCAA’s Champion of Diversity. In 2020, he received the Dan Rooney Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in improving opportunities for women and people of color in the sports industry.
Lapchick was named one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Sports
Lapchick was one of 200 guests personally invited by Nelson Mandela to his inauguration after leading the American sports boycott of South Africa from 1975 until the end of Apartheid.
Richard Lapchick is the son of Joe Lapchick, the famous Original Celtic center who became a legendary coach for St. John’s and the Knicks. He is married to Ann Pasnak and has three children and four grandchildren.
