The NFL Alumni group of former NFL players, coaches and executives is using this month’s Super Bowl lead-up to launch a Pro Football Legends marketing platform. The move comes as the group, which boasts 29 chapters and 4,000 members, moves beyond its longtime “Caring for Kids” cause-related efforts toward more member-focused efforts.
“Our total focus before was kids,” said former Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants quarterback Joe Pisarcik, who has been CEO of NFL Alumni since February. “We won’t abandon that, but our new goal is more about caring for our own. We’ve been doing a lot of charitable work, but our focus is changing to try to help ballplayers. A lot of guys are in need of a lot of things — medical concerns are right up there at the top.”
The “Pro Football Legends” name and logo will now be used for all commercial activity, which will allow the NFL Alumni to operate more independent of the NFL in selling marketing assets. With a membership base that includes names like Roger Staubach, John Elway and Barry Sanders, content initiatives are also being developed, especially in the digital space.
“There’s a wealth of stories and a message of authenticity within ‘Pro Football Legends’ and we want to use the Super Bowl to communicate that to marketers,” said Peter Murray, CEO of Insignia Sports and Entertainment, which is assisting NFL Alumni with marketing matters. “We want to build an emotional connection and let them to know it’s a clearinghouse for authentic NFL event marketing and hospitality programs.”
Accordingly, the group is integrated within a number of Super Bowl week events: a Maroon 5 concert, Ron Jaworski’s annual Super Bowl Cigar Party and game-day brunch for 250 at a midtown Del Frisco’s. There’s also a new agreement with USA Football through which Pisarcik’s organization will assist in football safety programs with the sport’s national governing body.
