First Advisor

Tanner Cooke

Date of Award

Spring 5-22-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Communication and University Honors

Department

Communication

Language

English

Subjects

Latinos, Latinos in sports, equity, athletics, professional sports, diversity in sports

Abstract

The Latino population has had a long and complicated history within the United States. Since the turn of the 21st century, Latinos continue to become the largest minority group within the country. As the Latino population continues to rise, other industries have failed to properly represent the community. Within the world of professional sports, Latinos continue to be grossly underrepresented, with professional athletes from Latino backgrounds representing less than 6% of all professional athletes across all disciplines. This number is just under ¼  of the total percentage of Latinos within the United States. With Latino’s influence of other cultural phenomena such as tv, film, and music, Latino’s presence within the sports world remains understudied, with systemic issues of class and social hierarchy undercutting the potential of many Latino athletes. Cultural and social values, historical inequality, and media and public scrutiny of the Latino community are potential barriers in Latinos athletes from competing at the elite level, or even participating in sports all together.

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