Menu
Leagues and Governing Bodies

Pro Football HOF Adjusts Procedure To Allow Sydney Seau To Speak After Unveiling Of Bust

Late NFLer Junior Seau's daughter, Sydney, "will be given the chance to participate in an on-stage interview conducted after the unveiling" of his bust for induction to the Pro Football HOF, according to Alex Marvez of FOXSPORTS.com. The HOF also has invited Sydney and Seau's three sons to "unveil his bust on stage," which normally "is only done by the presenter and enshrinee." Sydney also will be "participating in the Thursday night "Gold Jacket" ceremony that marks the first major Hall event of the week," and will be "given the chance to make remarks during the NFL Network telecast." However, the HOF will "continue to uphold its rule calling for only a video presentation of a posthumous inductee that includes the presenter's speech." HOF President David Baker said, "Our goal was to try and keep our policy but also show some compassion and understanding. Through all the conversations, Sydney has always been great." Marvez noted NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was "among those who were hoping the Hall reconsider the formatting of Seau’s induction ceremony." A source said that Goodell "called Baker on Friday to ask whether there was anything that could be done by the Hall, which is an independent entity, to give Sydney Seau a further chance to speak." Baker told Goodell about the Hall’s plans to "expand Sydney’s involvement," and the HOF then "finalized those changes on Saturday morning" (FOXSPORTS.com, 8/1). In N.Y., Ken Belson noted Seau before his death in '12 "had specified that Sydney should speak on his behalf if he made it into the Hall." In the months after Seau was chosen to be inducted, Sydney "had been preparing to make a speech." She also "taped an interview with the NFL Network, which was preparing the video for the ceremony" (N.Y. TIMES, 8/2).

GOOD CALL, HALL: YAHOO SPORTS' Eric Edholm wrote this was the "only call for the Hall." Backlash had "reached uproar level, and both the Hall and the NFL -- intentionally or not -- were looking bad in the process." There is a "great chance that Sydney will be the star of the induction ceremony" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 8/1). Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom said, "This seems to be a reasonable compromise. They have their traditions, and long before Junior Seau was an issue, the traditions made sense. She’s going to get to speak. ... If she’s going to slam the NFL, she’s going to have an opportunity" ("The Sports Reporters," ESPN, 8/2). WEEI.com's Christopher Price called the procedural change a "positive move for all concerned" (WEEI.com, 8/2).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/08/03/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/Seau.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/08/03/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/Seau.aspx

CLOSE