Center for Athletes’ Rights and Equity |

UCR Center for Athletes' Rights and Equity

The UCR Center for Athletes’ Rights and Equity (CARE), established in 2020, is an interdisciplinary engaged research center focused on the rights and collective well-being of athletes across all levels of competition. CARE’s mission is to address structural inequalities in sport and to create better, more equitable experiences and outcomes for amateur, collegiate, and professional athletes.

CARE prioritizes research with an overarching goal to inspire, engage, educate, and empower sport and education leaders and athletes themselves—and to holistically prepare athletes for sustainable professional careers beyond sport. With our innovative and cutting-edge research, educational programs, learning sessions, community outreach, and diverse partnerships, CARE serves as a unique and leading resource to advance knowledge and contribute to a more vibrant, inclusive, and equitable future for athletes.

Did You Know?

Click on each area to see statistics and facts.

Amateur and High School Athletes

Equity and excellence should not be viewed as mutually exclusive or in conflict
All students who participate in athletics are capable of learning (and gaining access to college) under the right conditions. It is our job to create those conditions!
We must ensure that learners can see themselves, their backgrounds, histories, and cultures reflected in their education
The youthful brain is much more susceptible to sub concussions and concussions

College Athletes

College athletes’ leadership experience, teamwork skills, work ethic, and time management skills translate well post-college
Division I college athletes devote more than 50 hours per week during the season on sport-related activities
NCAA Division I football players can receive as many as 1,400 head impacts during a single season
Of athletes across all divisional classifications, 30% reported mental health issues such as anxiety and depression
Studies show that athletes do not receive equitable remuneration for their athletic labor
In FBS schools during the 2019–2020 academic year, 86.2 percent of head football coaches were White, more than 80 percent of athletic directors were White, and 80 percent of Power Five conference commissioners were White
Almost 50 years after the enactment of Title IX, women have greater opportunities to participate in college athletics. However, the evidence demonstrates that the fight for gender equity in college athletics is far from over

Professional Athletes

Quality career transitions for professional athletes are facilitated by important characteristics, including athletes who (a) perceived control over the transition process, (b) intentionally planned for post-career options, and (c) achieved personal and team goals such as winning a championship
The professional athlete transition can be met with numerous challenges, including emotional distress, occupational and financial stress, family problems, body image concerns, and even substance abuse issues

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