NFL Owners Could Select New Commissioner As Early As Today

Rooney Feels Commissioner Will Be Chosen This Week

NFL owners got started right on time at their meetings in Chicago this morning, and if the gut feeling of some of the writers who have been covering the commissioner search is anything to go by, the whole thing could end this afternoon with the selection of Roger Goodell to replace Paul Tagliabue. The feeling among owners late yesterday was that none of the candidates did himself any harm, leaving Goodell solidly holding onto his front-runner status. Unless that changes today, many believe Goodell could be selected on the first ballot. The thinking is that while there are a few owners who will want to fight it out for a while, they won’t be able to get a large enough group to stop the Goodell supporters. It takes 22 owners to hire a commissioner, so it would take 11 together to prolong the voting. Today’s schedule calls for owners to divide into four groups of eight. Each group will interview a candidate for a full hour, meaning that, at any given time, one of the candidates will, in Tagliabue’s words, have a bye. The first vote is set to take place at 4:00pm ET (Ross Nethery, SBJ).

View our blog from the NFL owner's meetings in Chicago.

ONE AND DONE? In N.Y., Judy Battista writes while Goodell remains the favorite, it “may take more than one ballot for Goodell to win the job.” Many owners feel that Goodell “could be within 2 or 3 votes of the 22 needed to win the job on the first ballot” (N.Y. TIMES, 8/8). USA TODAY’s Jim Corbett writes Tagliabue and Steelers Chair and selection committee co-Chair Dan Rooney yesterday “expressed optimism” that Tagliabue’s successor could be named as early as today “and no later than Wednesday’s scheduled conclusion” of the meetings (USA TODAY, 8/8). Rooney, on when the next commissioner might be elected: “I don’t know about [today]. It may be the next day. I do think it will be resolved here” (WASHINGTON POST, 8/8).

THE CANDIDATES: On Long Island, Bob Glauber writes Fidelity Investments Vice Chair & COO Robert Reynolds has “emerged as a viable alternative” to Goodell, “although it’s still questionable whether he could get enough votes to overtake him” (NEWSDAY, 8/8). Most owners acknowledged that Goodell “probably has the necessary votes in hand,” but ESPN.com’s Len Pasquarelli noted “no one was about to say that publicly.” If there is “anyone with a semi-legitimate chance of upsetting Goodell it is almost certainly [NFL outside counsel Gregg] Levy, who was described by one source as ‘probably the smartest guy in the room.’” But one NFL owner said, “No matter how worthy or viable the rest of the candidates appear to be, I just can’t fathom us putting the league in the hands of a guy we’ve only known for a couple hours” (ESPN.com, 8/7). However, Falcons Owner Arthur Blank said, “I came here with an open mind. I want to see all of the candidates. I’m interested in getting to know them and have a chance to probe and ask questions” (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 8/8).

ROCK THE VOTE: Michael MacCambridge, author of NFL history book “America’s Game,” noted the league requires a three-quarters agreement for rules changes, “but when they name the person who’s going to run the league for the next 10 or 15 years, it’s only two-thirds. (Because) the thing has been so divisive, in part, the threshold is lower” (Baltimore SUN, 8/8).

Some Say Brandon Would Have Been Strong Candidate To Be Next NFL Commissioner

TOOK A PASS: In Chicago, Don Pierson reports Domino’s Pizza CEO David Brandon “withdrew from consideration after the search committee wanted him on the list of five finalists.” Brandon, who was backed by Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones, “did not want to go through the process. He preferred to be selected, not elected, but his credentials were so strong that another owner, not Jones, said, ‘He would have won.’” Prior to taking the Domino’s position in ’98, Brandon was CEO of marketing company Valassis, and his worldwide marketing experience “appealed to NFL owners concerned with developing ‘new media’ streams of revenue that will attract young audiences” (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/8).

MISSED THE CUT: In N.Y., Gary Myers reports Blues and Real Salt Lake Owner Dave Checketts was among the 11 candidates who were interviewed in Detroit the week of July 24, but did not make the final five (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 8/8).