The Charlotte Hornets picked up a major victory off the court this week after Front Office Sports officially named the organization one of its Top 25 ‘Best Employers in Sports’ for 2020.
This recognition is bestowed on those in the industry who are excelling at employee relations, company leadership, producing a high-level culture, promoting diversity, inclusion and a strong work-life balance, all while taking an employee-first focus amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I was obviously thrilled to be recognized in this regard and especially proud because it really speaks to our owner, Michael Jordan’s vision,” said Fred Whitfield, President and Vice Chairman of the Charlotte Hornets. “It’s a great honor for our organization and I think it speaks highly of his commitment to our organization in supporting our people.”
Front Office Sports is one of the leading media brands within the sports industry. On average, the company reaches two million business professionals and registers 20 million digital impressions per month through its digital platforms, reporting and newsletters.
Only one other NBA team – the Atlanta Hawks – received this award, which was also presented to the Miami Dolphins, Nashville Predators, Orlando City Soccer Club, Peach Bowl, Inc., and USA Triathlon, among others. Over 1,600 people from across the sports landscape provided feedback on a survey used to determine the recipients of this honor.
“We take a lot of pride in all of the areas [taken into account] and in particular, our efforts around the voting initiative and working closely with Mecklenburg County Board of Elections to have Spectrum Center be an early voting site,” Whitfield added. Additional highlights include a $250,000 donation for pandemic relief, 1,000 volunteer hours registered by HSE employees, 2,020 meals purchased from local Black-owned businesses for front-line and healthcare workers as part of an expanded Week of Service and a continued focus on economic mobility.
While 2020 has been a tough time for nearly everybody, Whitfield says there’s been a silver lining for the organization in spite of the unforeseen tribulations. And that adversity will only make HSE stronger as the calendar turns to 2021 in just a couple weeks.
“Even though we’re all going through enormous challenges in the pandemic, our leadership team found a way to stay connected with all our teammates, create synergy between the different departments and keep our business moving in the right direction. It’s brought us closer together as an organization – both business and basketball operations. It gives us a real ability to continue the momentum moving forward as we hopefully come out of the pandemic.”
He added, “I think [next year] gives us an opportunity to continue being more innovative, more strategic and to work closely together as an organization and with our people. We can look for ways to use lessons learned during the pandemic to turn what I like to call lemons into lemonade. This gives us the ability to create whatever positivity we can as an organization coming out of very difficult times.”