MLS Eliminates Hiring Rules: A Setback for Diversity?

MLS Radically Changes its Hiring Policy

The Major League Soccer (MLS) has made significant changes to its hiring policy for management and coaching positions, eliminating minority interview requirements and reducing the enforcement mechanisms of these regulations. This modification, according to internal sources, represents a major shift in the league’s strategy. The hiring policy, formerly known as the “MLS Diversity Hiring Policy”, is now called the “MLS Advanced Policy”. This change implies decentralization, allowing teams to design their own hiring practices with less oversight from the league. In 2007, MLS implemented a version of the Rooney Rule, inspired by the NFL’s minority hiring initiative. In 2021, it was updated with the aim of increasing interview opportunities for minority candidates, including general managers, assistant general managers, coaches, and assistant coaches. The hope was that this would lead to more minority hiring. The 2021 revision also sought to strengthen policy enforcement, focusing on the interview of Black candidates and establishing that the finalist group for a technical position should include at least two non-white candidates, one of whom should be African American. Failure to comply with this policy could result in fines for the teams. However, these requirements have been removed. The new policy allows teams to establish their own guidelines for hiring in technical and management positions. Clubs must form a committee to manage the interview process and designate a senior leader responsible for implementing the club’s hiring policy. Clubs have signed an affidavit, similar to the one they sign to comply with league rules, ensuring that they will take these measures. MLS insists that the goal is to help minority candidates from the beginning of the interview process, rather than simply fulfilling a requirement at the end. The new policy appears to offer less transparency in hiring personnel. Teams not only do not need league approval for their guidelines, but they are also not required to reveal the names of the finalists for a position.

If clubs are going to design a process where they will have a limited circle of candidates, I am not sure that will give them the best opportunity to compete.

Sola Winley, Executive Vice President and Chief of Engagement of MLS

Regarding enforcement, Sola Winley, an MLS executive, indicated that MLS Commissioner Don Garber has the authority to sanction teams that do not comply with the new policy. However, the circumstances under which the commissioner would intervene appear limited, given the reduction of mandates in the revised policy. The policy will now extend to the clubs’ commercial hires, in addition to those related to football.

Former Chicago Fire FC defender and former club Vice President of Equity, Alumni Relations, and Diversity, Evan Whitfield, has criticized the change.

The lack of diversity at the senior coaching level and in executive offices remains evident.

Evan Whitfield

Sources confirmed that an MLS committee, composed of some owners, pushed for the changes, in collaboration with a working group of league executives, league staff, club commercial directors, team football directors, and club human resources heads. The new policy was presented to the league’s board of directors in April and was approved in May.

Currently, MLS has three Black coaches (the same number as when the policy was modified in 2021, all foreign-born) and four Latino/Hispanic coaches. This represents 10% and 13.3% of the coaching group, respectively. (There are currently four vacant coaching positions).

In 2021, MLS claimed to have an equitable representation of Hispanic/Latino coaches in relation to its player pool (30 percent), while the MLS’s Black player pool was 25%, but only 7% of assistant coaches and 10% of head coaches were Black.

I feel good about the current situation. I feel good about the progress we have made and that we will continue to make.

Sola Winley