The NFL "plans to create a new-media department" as
part of the league's "push to cash in on the tremendous
growth of the Internet," according to John Lombardo of the
SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. League Internet operations are
currently "lumped into" the NFLE division, but "increased
interest among owners in developing the league's cyberspace
business is driving the effort to create a separate
department." Eagles Owner Jeffrey Lurie: "The key is how to
figure out the digital world in such a way that it maximizes
the value to the member clubs and allows sponsors,
advertisers and distributors to gain value from it."
According to league officials, the creation of a new-media
department "is part of the NFL's restructuring effort that
comes after the departure" of NFL President Neil Austrian.
The NFL "has not yet developed a new organizational chart,"
but it is "likely" that the following departments will
report directly to NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue: new
media; football business operations; NFLP; legal and
administration; and labor. Tagliabue: "We are looking at a
reorganization to take into account the cyberspace and
telecommunications revolution. I think the biggest
challenge we have as a league is to evolve our media, our
television, from the current broadcast television and cable
television distribution system into the digital era."
Lombardo writes the league's new structure "will be
completed after the Super Bowl" and will be presented to
league owners during meetings in March (SBJ, 1/24 issue).
