Twenty current and former NFL players including seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver and NFL Network analyst TORRY HOLT and two-time All-Star defensive backs ANTOINE BETHEA and AL HARRIS will take part in the first-ever NFL Business of Music Boot Camp at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music in New York, it was announced today.

The program, which runs from February 27-March 1, is being directed by NFL Player Engagement and the Clive Davis Institute in NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and offers professional training for creative entrepreneurs in the music industry.

Following are the current and former NFL players enrolled in the NFL Business of Music Boot Camp:

Player enrollment criteria include previous participation in NFL Player Engagement programs, prior music experience, essays, and NFL playing experience. All costs other than travel are covered by the NFL. 

Faculty members at the Business of Music Boot Camp will include:

CLIVE DAVIS, chief creative officer of Sony BMG, who has developed top performers including Janis Joplin, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Santana, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, Whitney Houston, and Alicia Keys. He won a Grammy Trustee Award in 2000 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

DANNY STRICK, co-president of Sony/ATV Music Publishing. From pitching the Motown catalogue to rock acts with Jobete Music early in his career to becoming senior vice president and GM of BMG Music, Strick has held a number of influential positions in the publishing industry throughout his career. 

JONATHAN DANIEL, a founder and partner at Crush Management, an artist management company that represents acts including Gym Class Heroes, Panic! At the Disco, Train, and Cobra Starship.

SAM HOLLANDER, a songwriter and producer whose work has often appeared in the Top 40 Pop Hits. He has written or produced for artists including Gym Class Heroes, Cobra Starship, Train, and Chiddy Bang. 

AL BRANCH, the general manager at Hip Hop Since 1978, a management and production company whose roster boasts major figures Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Young Jeezy.

MICHAEL “BLUE” WILLIAMS, the CEO of Family Tree Entertainment, which recently merged with Primary Wave Music to create Family Tree Primary Wave. His client roster includes Cee Lo Green, Cody Simpson, and Eric Benet, and previous clients include OutKast, Monica and Big Sean.

MICHAEL SOLOMON, co-founder of Musicians on Call–a non-profit organization that brings music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities–as well as the co-founder of Brick Wall Management, whose past and present roster includes artists John Mayer, Citizen Cope, and William Fitzsimmons.

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The announcement was made by Atlanta Falcons Owner and Chairman Arthur M. Blank, who serves as chairman of the NFL Compensation Committee.  

NFL clubs unanimously approved a resolution at a December 14 league meeting in Dallas that said, “The commissioner has performed his duties in an exemplary fashion since his election in 2006 and the membership has determined that the interests of the NFL would be best served by a continuation of the commissioner’s employment beyond the terms of his current employment contract.” The resolution authorized the Compensation Committee to complete negotiations on a new contract, the third of Goodell’s tenure as commissioner. His original five-year contract was extended in 2009. The new contract continues until March 31, 2019.

Other members of the Compensation Committee are Tom Benson (New Orleans), Pat Bowlen (Denver), Robert Kraft (New England), Jerry Richardson (Carolina), and Steve Ross (Miami).

“I speak on behalf of 32 NFL club owners in saying we are fortunate to have Roger Goodell as our commissioner,” Blank said. “Since becoming commissioner in 2006, the NFL – already the leader in professional sports – has gotten even stronger.  As evidenced by this contract extension, we have great confidence in Roger’s vision and leadership of the NFL. Our clubs, players and fans could not ask for a better CEO.”

Goodell, 52, has focused his priorities on successfully growing the NFL’s popularity and leadership role by strengthening the game and all 32 NFL franchises through innovation.

The game on the field is more competitive and exciting than ever. As a result, fan interest in the NFL has soared under Goodell’s leadership, including the largest television audiences in league history, 23 of the 25 highest-rated programs of the current television season, enormous growth in online and social media engagement, and other measures of success and popularity. The NFL’s status as America’s most popular sports league has grown under Goodell.

“It is a privilege for me to serve the NFL,” Goodell said. “It is the only place I have ever wanted to work. I am grateful for the contributions and counsel of NFL owners in managing our league, the talented staff that supports us, and the players and coaches that perform their magic on the field. It is truly a team effort. I am eagerly looking ahead to the challenge of building on our momentum and doing all we can to improve our game for the fans and everyone that is part of our league.”  

In his first six seasons as commissioner, Goodell has addressed a wide range of issues to improve the NFL, including player health and safety; the medical needs and pensions of retired players; personal conduct; labor and revenue sharing; stadium construction; media innovation; and international development.

In 2011, his leadership helped secure a landmark 10-year Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL Players Association, the longest in the history of professional sports. That was followed by long-term extensions of the NFL’s television contracts. The nine-year agreements with CBS, FOX, and NBC are the longest ever for NFL broadcast television contracts and continue the NFL’s tradition of being the only sports league that shows all of its regular-season and playoff games on free, over-the-air television.

In addition to nurturing the NFL to new heights of fan popularity, Goodell has led the way in creating new playing rules, policies, and programs to make the game better and safer. This includes $100 million committed to medical research during the 10-year term of the new CBA. Goodell’s leadership on health and safety has had a significant positive impact on all levels of football and other sports.

During his tenure, Commissioner Goodell also has strengthened the league’s anti-steroids policy, launched innovative media initiatives and a new series of international regular-season games, improved the NFL’s news media access policies to better serve fan interest, and revamped and enhanced the league’s programs to support and assist players and former players in their lives off the field.

Prior to taking command as commissioner in September of 2006, Goodell managed a wide array of football and business operations during a 24-year career in the NFL that started with an internship in the NFL office in 1982 under former Commissioner Pete Rozelle.

After spending the 1983 season as an intern with the New York Jets, Goodell returned to the league office in 1984 as an assistant in the public relations department. Under Rozelle’s successor, Paul Tagliabue, Goodell served in various senior executive roles and was appointed executive vice president and chief operating officer in 2001. As chief operating officer, Goodell was responsible for the league’s football operations and officiating departments in addition to supervising all league business functions.

Goodell is a native of Jamestown, New York. He spent his high school years in Bronxville, New York, where he captained the football, basketball, and baseball teams as a senior and was named athlete of the year at Bronxville High School. Goodell graduated magna cum laude from Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania in 1981 with a degree in economics. 

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The NFL All-Star Game will take place once again at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii and will be the signature event to start the week leading up to Super Bowl XLVI between the New England Patriots and New York Giants in Indianapolis (Sunday, February 5, NBC).

“Being selected to represent the NFC team in the Pro Bowl is a tremendous honor,” says New Orleans Saints tight end JIMMY GRAHAM. “I think any guy who gets named to the Pro Bowl realizes that it’s a heck of a compliment and I am grateful and humbled by it.”

For the third consecutive year, the Pro Bowl will be played the week before the Super Bowl. The 2011 Pro Bowl on FOX was watched by an average of 13.4 million viewers, the most for a Pro Bowl since 1997 (13.5 million viewers), making it the most-watched All-Star game of any sport since 2009.

For the complete release, click here

 Brady has passed for 5,009 yards in his postseason career, the fourth-most in NFL playoff history after surpassing Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback JOHN ELWAY on Sunday.

 For the complete release, click here.

 GIANTS-49ERS THIRD MOST-WATCHED CONF. CHAMPIONSHIP EVER

RECORD FIVE 2011 PLAYOFF GAMES TOP 35 MILLION VIEWERS

Football fans across America continue to tune in to NFL games, resulting in the most-watched conference championship Sunday in 30 years.  An average of 53.7 million viewers watched NFL games last weekend, the most for an NFL conference championship Sunday since January 1982 (game-by-game comparison below).

The New York Giants-San Francisco 49ers NFC Championship Game on FOX drew 57.6 million viewers to rank as the third most-watched conference championship game ever (chart below).

The Baltimore Ravens-New England Patriots AFC Championship Game on CBS drew 48.7 million viewers.  The conference championship games are television’s two most-watched shows since Super Bowl XLV.

In addition, a record five 2011 playoff games averaged at least 35 million viewers – up from four in 2010.

2011 NFL Conference Championship Games

1981 NFL Conference Championship Games

Most-Watched NFL Conference Championship Games

Source: NFL & The Nielsen Company 

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 Three community-minded NFL players will be recognized during Super Bowl week as finalists for the WALTER PAYTON NFL MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD, it was announced today. MATT BIRK of the Baltimore Ravens, PHILIP RIVERS of the San Diego Chargers and CHARLES TILLMAN of the Chicago Bears are the top candidates for this year’s award, named for the legendary Bears running back who died in 1999.  

 The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award is the only league award that recognizes a player’s off-the-field community service as well as his playing excellence. 

The winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award will be announced in Indianapolis, the site of Super Bowl XLVI, during NFL Honors, a two-hour primetime awards special to air nationally on February 4 from    9-11 p.m. EST on NBC. 

For the complete release, click here.

 In an unprecedented step that begins the next chapter of the NFL’s continued momentum of growing the international fan base, the St. Louis Rams have committed to becoming the first NFL team to play regular-season games abroad on an annual basis, the league announced today.

The Rams will play one regular-season home game in the U.K. in 2012, 2013 and 2014, beginning with a game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, October 28, 2012 at London’s historic Wembley Stadium.  The game will kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. UK) and be televised live in the United States on CBS. 

 “The response to NFL games in the U.K. among our British fans has been exceptional,” said NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL.  “We are confident that having the Rams host one game in the U.K. in each of the next three seasons will allow us to better serve the growing popularity of our sport beyond the borders of the United States.” 

Last October 11, NFL owners approved a resolution that authorized the league to schedule regular-season games in the U.K. in each of the next five years, including to determine the number of games per season, the venue and the competing teams.  All clubs were permitted to volunteer to play at least one regular-season game per year as a home team in the U.K. on an annual basis for up to five years, and the Rams’ proposal was selected. 

“This is a tremendous honor for our franchise, the city of St. Louis and our fans throughout the world,” said Rams owner E. STANLEY KROENKE.  “We are excited about the opportunity to reach new audiences globally.  This is a great platform to showcase the city of St. Louis toLondon and theUK. 

We’ve seen first-hand the increased popularity of the NFL not only in London but throughout Europe. To play a role in that growth over the next three years will be incredible and is a testament to the many good things happening not only in the NFL but also in the St. Louis Rams organization.” 

The Rams, who earlier this week announced the hiring of head coach JEFF FISHER, will face the Patriots – who on Sunday will play for the AFC Championship and a berth in Super Bowl XLVI – next season in London.  New England defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in London in 2009. 

“We are honored to be selected for this year’s game and eager to return,” said New England Patriots Chairman and CEO ROBERT KRAFT. “We had such a great experience during our last visit to London.  We are proud to have great support from our fans when we are on the road.  The United Kingdom is home to some of our most passionate Patriots fans, including the UKPatriots, who are among our most active fan clubs overall, not just overseas.  We look forward to another memorable experience.” 

The international series of regular-season games to date has contributed to increased NFL fan interest in the U.K., with a current fan base of 11 million, including more than two million avid fans, a 32% increase in the past two years.  

Television ratings have also shown tremendous growth – with Sunday viewership of NFL games up 154% and the Super Bowl audience increased 74% since 2006 – while the league has developed new and stronger business partnerships. 

 “When the initial resolution to play international regular-season games was approved in 2006, the thinking at the time was that we would have two new teams every year,” said NFL Vice President of International CHRIS PARSONS.  “As the series evolved, we saw that having a team return to the U.K. on a regular basis would increase fan interest for that particular team, which in turn would drive fan growth for the entire league.  We are incredibly excited to introduce a young, talented team like the Rams to our U.K. fans.  And to do so against a team with the rich history and tradition of the Patriots makes it even more exciting.” 

The game between the Rams and Patriots at Wembley Stadium will be the only NFL contest in the U.K. next season. 

The regular-season games played in the United Kingdom:

Each of the 65 players has met the league’s three-year eligibility rule and each has submitted a written application in which he renounced his remaining college football eligibility.  The deadline for receiving applications was January 15. 

The NFL Draft will kick off in primetime for the third consecutive year.  The first round will be held on Thursday, April 26 at 8:00 PM ET.  The second and third rounds are set for Friday, April 27 at 7:00 PM ET.  Rounds four through seven will be held on Saturday, April 28 at noon ET.   

The players granted special eligibility for the NFL Draft the past 10 years: 

 The players granted special eligibility for the 2012 NFL Draft:

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For the NFC Championship Game What to Look For release, click here.