How Black In Sport is building community beyond the pitch
In this edition of The Blackbook, we're spotlighting Black In Sport, the platform redefining what it means to build community, opportunity and visibility for Black professionals in sport.
“Black In Sport (BIS) was inspired by the EURO 2020 final, when Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka faced racist backlash after missing their penalties,” says Ladi Ogunmekan, founder of BIS.
What started as a response to that moment grew from Ladi’s own curiosity about the business side of sport, and the lack of visibility for Black professionals working behind the scenes. “There’s still this idea that to work in sport, you have to be an athlete,” he explains. “We wanted to challenge that. You can work in strategy, operations, creative, partnerships, there’s a whole ecosystem that deserves recognition and representation.”
At its core, BIS was built to open doors, providing access, knowledge and community to help change what the industry looks like. “In the next five to ten years, we want to see more people from underrepresented backgrounds in leadership roles, taking up the space they’ve earned.”
Building community, not just events
Community sits at the heart of BIS. While their summits and events have become key moments in the industry calendar, Ladi is clear that the work doesn’t end when the lights go down.
“Community isn’t just what happens on stage. It’s everything that happens after, the connections, opportunities and belief that people carry with them. We’re here to guide, encourage, and sometimes hold the seat steady, but ultimately, it’s about showing people they’ve always had the power to steer their own success.”
That ethos has translated into real opportunities. For example, the Next Up Programme, created with Octagon, was designed to open doors for emerging talent, and it has already secured a 12-month, fully paid placement for a member of the BIS community, within Octagon’s UK business next year. Knowing that someone now has a full-time opportunity to break into the industry, one that could genuinely change their life, reflects the kind of impact the team set out to create. It’s the sort of achievement that makes it all worth it.
Similarly, the ON x BIS Where It Starts campaign celebrated personal stories and beginnings, but more than that, it was about giving people the platform, the network and the belief to build something for themselves, with the support of a wider community.
Celebrating voices shaping the industry
Each summit brings together a lineup of voices driving real change across sport, culture and business, and this year’s speakers reflected just that.
Among those leading the discussions were Lenz Balan, President & CEO at London Lions; Jordan Prince, Counsel of Business and Legal Affairs (Sports) at Netflix; Mayowa Quadri, Head of Brand at Versus; Daniel Domingues, Head of Strategy and Execution (LightSpray) at ON; Simone Gondwe’s, Vice President of Commercial- UK, Europe, Middle East & Africa at Fanatics; Rhianne Murray, Legal Counsel at Chelsea FC; and Yafeu Downes, Global Sports & Culture Partnerships at Meta.
During their discussions, they highlighted the ambition and collaboration needed to thrive as Black professionals in sport. A true reminder that real progress in the industry also comes from those shaping what happens behind the pitch and the screen.
Cutting through the noise
At the heart of BIS’ marketing and communications is the 2025 theme, “Cutting Through the Noise”, a nod to the platform’s focus on authenticity and ownership of narrative.
“Our approach was all about communicating in the way our community communicates with us,” says Joy Ogunbambo, Head of Communications. “We didn’t want to add to the noise, we wanted to amplify the voices that matter and reflect the language, tone and energy of our audience. Everything from the visuals to the messaging was designed to feel familiar and honest.”
That authenticity runs through BIS’ social campaigns and presence, which often feel like extensions of the conversations happening within their community rather than promotional pushes. “It’s about being real,” Joy adds. “If people can hear your voice and feel your intent, they’ll connect.”
Partnerships with purpose
When it comes to collaborations, BIS has worked with brands such as ON, Wingstop and Octagon.
“The best collaborations feel natural,” says Ladi. “They’re not about audience reach; they’re about shared purpose and authenticity. When there’s mutual trust and understanding, the storytelling feels effortless and the impact lasts long after the campaign ends.”
The goal is simple. Celebrating individuality, opening doors and creating space for meaningful engagement and lasting impact.
Growth, lessons and looking ahead
For both Ladi and Joy, the growth of Black In Sport has come with lessons.
“One of the biggest challenges has been alignment. Not every opportunity is the right one. Staying true to your mission, even when bigger offers come in, takes discipline. And on a personal level, learning to grow at the same pace as the business, that’s been a journey.”
Joy echoes that sentiment from a communications standpoint:
“The hardest part hasn’t been external, it’s been internal. With a team spread across continents, we’ve had to get creative about how we communicate and keep momentum. Our ‘first-see, first-do’ approach has saved us countless hours and kept everyone accountable.”
Looking ahead, the team wants to deepen BIS’ storytelling through new formats, from long-form video diaries to behind-the-scenes content that captures the real people driving the industry.
“We’ve built something powerful through our events,” says Joy. “Now it’s about extending that energy year-round, showing the journeys behind the moments.”
Rooted in purpose
At its core, Black In Sport remains what it’s always been, a platform rooted in representation and community and real, evidenced influence.
As Ladi puts it, “Build value first, focus on impact and collaborate early. The right people multiply your impact.”
Black In Sport continues to build a platform where representation meets opportunity, proving that the most powerful wins in sport happen beyond the pitch.
And at The Branding BlackBook, we couldn’t agree more, the best careers in sport aren’t just about who wins on the field, but about who builds the future beyond it.
If you loved this story, you’ll find more like it over on Instagram and LinkedIn, where we spotlight the campaigns and creatives driving change across industries.
This is such a great encapsulation of what we stand for. Thank you for speaking to us!