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NFL Operations Hosts First Football Operations Innovation Forum
NFL Football Operations hosted the Football Innovation Forum on September 22, a virtual showcase that highlighted innovative initiatives in football. The forum featured NFL executives and thought leaders in a series of panel discussions and video spotlights.
The event commenced with the State of Football Innovation address where attendees heard from some of football’s most prominent voices, including Rich McKay, president and CEO of the Atlanta Falcons and chairman of the Competition Committee, John Spanos, president of football operations for the Los Angeles Chargers and co-chair of the Future of Football Advisory Committee, Dave Gardi, senior vice president of game operations at the NFL and moderator Natara Holloway, vice president of business operations and strategy at the NFL.
“We have a phenomenal culture of innovation at the NFL, and our goal is to provide a platform for our football leaders to showcase and discuss the various future of football initiatives,” said Holloway.
Other forum highlights included hearing from key innovation leadership across the league including Chris Halpin, executive vice president and chief strategy and growth officer, and Rachel Hoagland, vice president and head of gaming and Esports. The two hosted a discussion on how interactive media is critical to the growth of football fandom. In addition, senior vice president and chief information officer at the NFL, Michelle McKenna, spoke to the new digital future of the game of football in the Future of Football panel, and spotlight features showcased innovation within various areas of the league office.
Through thought leadership and collaboration, Football Operations committees work to provide innovative insight to improve the game.
“The league is in a great place in terms of innovation. We are always thinking about how we can make the game better,” said Spanos. “What’s great about our setup is that all our groups are working together on innovative efforts in and around the game of football.”
Members of the Future of Football Advisory Committee include Paraag Marathe (Co-Chair), John Spanos (Co-Chair), Andrew Berry, Katie Blackburn, Tony Khan, Ryan Pace, Howie Roseman, and Les Snead.
Learn more about the Competition Committee.
NFL Football Operations’ mission is to establish a culture of clarity, consistency and credibility in all aspects of the greatest game. Football is an essential piece of America’s fabric, uniting fans, players and communities with a simple yet powerful bond. We honor the game’s history while continuing to innovate and preserve the sport for future generations of fans, players, coaches, teams and officials.
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