Christina Francis, the first female president of Magic Johnson Enterprises, has quite a story.
Atlanta witnessed a groundbreaking moment during the first-ever Black Ownership in Sports Symposium, a one-day event at the prestigious Buckhead Club, aimed at empowering Black professionals to understand the intricacies of owning professional sports teams. Among the luminaries gathered, Francis captivated the audience with her poignant fireside chat, unveiling a story of resilience, strategy, and eventual triumph that spanned decades.
Francis’s professional relationship with NBA legend and business mogul Earvin “Magic” Johnson is a testament to the power of patience and persistence. Their connection, forged over 20 years ago, began during Francis’s tenure as an Account Director at UniWorld New York, where she managed an endorsement deal with Johnson. The diminutive yet dynamic Francis, standing at 5 feet 2, immediately caught Johnson’s attention with her commanding organizational skills and assertive presence. “I was this 5-foot-2 runaround. Everything was organized. I was controlling the room,” Francis recounted during the chat, eliciting laughter from the audience. Johnson’s intrigue was palpable: “He just kept looking at me like, ‘Who’s this little thing running all over the place?'”
That moment laid the groundwork for an enduring professional interest. Johnson, recognizing Francis’s talent, extended job offers not once, but three times over the years. Yet, Francis, keen on diversifying her experience and charting her own course, politely declined each time. “And the second time I said no, he said, ‘Strike two,’ ” she recalled, with a hint of humor. By the third refusal, Johnson went silent, a silence that lingered for nearly two years, an unusual turn for someone as persistent as Magic.
Francis finally accepts Magic’s offer
But the connection was never truly severed. A mutual acquaintance facilitated a reconnection, prompting Johnson to make one final, decisive offer in 2013. His message was straightforward and determined: “Look, I’ve been thinking about my business, and I’m going to ask you this one last time: Do you want to come work for me?” This time, Francis, then a resident of Los Angeles for more than a decade, accepted, stepping into a pivotal role at MJE.
Her journey is more than a professional success story, it’s a narrative that underscores the importance of knowing one’s worth, embracing growth, and recognizing opportunities when the time is right. Johnson’s unwavering belief in Francis’s abilities, coupled with her own strategic choices, ultimately culminated in a partnership that exemplifies excellence and empowerment.
In the glow of the fireside chat, attendees of the symposium were left inspired, not only by Francis’s story but by the collective vision of Black ownership in sports. It was a moment that blended history, hope, and the promise of a brighter future. As Francis herself embodies, the path to breaking barriers is often paved with persistence, patience, and purpose.
