2014 NFL Draft to be Held May 8-10 at Radio City Music Hall in New York

NFL teams were notified today that, due to a scheduling conflict at Radio City Music Hall, the 2014 NFL Draft will be held on May 8-10 in New York at Radio City. 

The decision was made after discussions with club personnel and key NFL business partners.  No decision has been made regarding the dates of the NFL Draft in 2015 and beyond. A variety of alternatives are being explored, teams were told, including holding the draft at Radio City or at other locations, either in the New York area or in other cities. 

The NFL clubs also were informed that there would be no significant changes in the dates of other off-season events next year:

• Several Regional Combines will be held on various dates from January 24 through February 16, 2014. Some Regional Combines may be held after the National Combine in Indianapolis.
•  The National Combine in Indianapolis will be held from February 18-25, 2014.
•  The new League Year, and the Free Agency period, will begin on March 11, 2014.
•  The Annual Meeting will be held in Orlando, Florida, on March 23-26, 2014. 

The change in the date of the 2014 Draft will have no effect on when rookies may begin to report to their clubs, the dates of off-season programs, or the length of off-season programs.  Clubs will have available to them the same number of practice days that they currently have and no changes in the off-season calendar are being considered that would reduce the number of practice days or the overall length of the off-season program.  At this time, changes are not anticipated in the off-season calendar for 2015 and beyond that would reduce the number of practice days or otherwise limit the off-season program. 

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NFL Response to AP Column

Dear Jim: I am compelled to respond to your column today because it is not only unfair but also inaccurate and misleading in many respects.

Steve Ross’s stadium renovation proposal called for Mr. Ross to pay for 70 percent of the costs, as well as to bring Super Bowls and other marquee events to South Florida or pay a substantial financial penalty (in excess of $100 million) if he failed to do so. Your column neglected to mention those facts and inaccurately said that he wants “taxpayers to foot the bill,” implying the entire bill.

Mr. Ross’s proposed investment is consistent with stadium development throughout our league. There are 13 stadium projects in the pipeline now with 74 percent ($3.2 billion) of the costs being privately financed by NFL owners. Your column says that new NFL stadiums are “largely publicly-financed stadiums.” That is not true. You completely overlooked the extraordinary amount of private money that is going into NFL stadium projects. Specifically, private investment accounts for 100 percent of the cost of the Jets/Giants’ MetLife Stadium, more than 60 percent in Dallas, more than 90 percent in San Francisco, more than 70 percent in Atlanta, and more than  50 percent in Minneapolis.

NFL owners have awarded Super Bowls in part to recognize and thank communities and taxpayers for their investments (both financial and emotional) in our clubs and their stadiums. How is it arrogant to take the nation’s top sports event, which indisputably brings with it significant economic benefits, and hold it in communities all over the country?

On the league calendar issues, let’s start with the NFL Draft. It has to be moved next year because of the spring Easter show that Radio City is going to run in late April. You stated that “it’s likely to stay there in following years, too.” Contrary to being “likely,” Commissioner Goodell said this in his press conference yesterday: “Beyond (2014), if we want to move the draft back into the April period, we are going to have to look at other alternatives, which means other cities or other venues. We will begin that process.”

You stated that if the NFL Draft is held in May, it will conflict with Mother’s Day and the NBA and NHL playoffs. Mother’s Day is on a Sunday (the NFL Draft is Thursday-Saturday). Other sports play games on Mother’s Day. The final day of the U.S. Open golf is played on Father’s Day. Is the PGA, MLB, NBA and NHL “conflicting” with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day? Plus, our draft in April already runs opposite the NBA and NHL playoffs. Your statement is unfair and misleading. It also ignores the very substantial – and growing – fan interest in the draft.

How would delaying the Combine create “more hype”? It would simply shift the timing of coverage of the Combine, which runs over several afternoons on NFL Network and would not conflict with any evening sports programming.

Have you protested so vehemently when other sports have expanded their calendars?  Every other league runs longer than it did 10 years ago. The NFL has always had the shortest playing season calendar among the major professional sports leagues.

Why do you object to the possibility of having more meaningful games and fewer preseason games?  Don’t fans and the media prefer games that mean something?

If the demand from fans was not there, we would not be considering these changes.

Our approach is to listen carefully to fans, players, teams, and others and look for ways to intelligently improve the game and the league. We have, in fact, been somewhat conservative, and definitely thoughtful, in all aspects of our business, including making changes to our calendar.

Thanks for listening.

Greg Aiello

NFL Health and Safety Update—May 22, 2013

For the complete release, click here

Transcript: Commissioner Goodell 2013 Spring League Meeting

NFL COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL
2013 SPRING LEAGUE MEETING
BOSTON, MASS. 

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 

Opening statement: 

When you think about what is going on in Oklahoma and what we are doing here, it is hard to think about the tragic events. Certainly, our prayers and all of us are thinking about the people of Oklahoma. 

We discussed a number of stadium matters.  We approved a new stadium in Atlanta and our funding for that and renovations in Carolina and Philadelphia.  We had a productive day on that front and spent a great deal of time talking about the stadium experience, which we have been very upfront that we want to improve that experience, make it better for our fans.  That starts with an investment and making sure we have great stadiums, but it is also about making sure our fans are safe when they come into our stadiums.  It also goes to the point of trying to provide technology in the stadiums and making sure we are doing everything to make it a terrific experience for our fans. 

On selecting San Francisco to host Super Bowl L: 

It’s a great city.  They have a terrific stadium.  They have obviously put together a proposal that got a great deal of support from our membership.  They deserve the Super Bowl.  We’re thrilled to be a part of that, and I think it’s going to be great for the game. 

On the ‘international flavor’ of Houston’s Super Bowl bid: 

It was a very innovative approach. I think it’s reflective of the people of Houston, how they feel about their community, and what they want to celebrate.  We always say the Super Bowl is a great event, but doing it with great cities and doing it with great stadiums really has an opportunity to be great for the community and the NFL for the long term.  That’s what we’re looking to when we look at Super Bowl [bids]. This is an opportunity to take the NFL to another level and the great communities we are playing in.

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Microsoft and NFL Announce Multiyear Landmark Partnership to Enhance the Game for Fans, Players and Coaches

Introduction of Interactive NFL Experience on Xbox and Surface technology on NFL sidelines to shape the future of football — in the living room and on the field. 

REDMOND, Wash. — Microsoft Corp. and the National Football League (NFL) today announced a multiyear, landmark partnership that will deliver truly unique interactive NFL television experiences for the next-generation Xbox One and leverage Microsoft devices and services to evolve the in-game, sideline experience for coaches, players and other personnel.

“We love the passion that players, coaches and fans bring to the NFL game; it’s what makes the NFL game-day experience so unique,” said Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO. “We’re excited to apply our passion for technology to the NFL experience, both on the sidelines through the innovative use of Microsoft Surface devices, and for fans through an enhanced NFL viewing experience on Xbox One.”

The agreement provides Microsoft with the rights to create exclusive interactive experiences through products such as Xbox One and Surface, transforming the way fans will experience the NFL in the years to come. The NFL on Xbox will provide fans with an all-new viewing experience through innovations around Skype and Xbox SmartGlass; an all-new, innovative fantasy football solution allowing fans to view players and live competition side by side on a single TV screen; and a personalized NFL destination featuring information about the players, teams and games fans care about most. Xbox also retains the exclusive rights to extend these interactive experiences to tablets, enabling fans to use Xbox SmartGlass technology to enhance game day. Read more

National Football League Foundation Names Jason Taylor to Board of Directors

Taylor Selected to Serve for Two Years

The National Football League Foundation announced today that former NFL Man of the Year JASON TAYLOR has been chosen to serve on the organization’s board of directors. Taylor enjoyed a 15-year NFL playing career with the Dolphins, Redskins and Jets, including being selected to six Pro Bowls, and retired in 2011.

Taylor joins the NFL Foundation board in a newly formed post for retired Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year winners who will serve two-year terms. The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award has been presented annually since 1970 to an outstanding player who also makes significant contributions to society. Taylor received the prestigious award in 2007.

“I am honored to join the NFL Foundation,” said TAYLOR. “I look forward to working with my fellow board members and the 32 NFL teams to advance the Foundation’s mission.”

“We appreciate Jason’s commitment to the NFL Foundation,” said NFL COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL. “As a former NFL player and a dedicated philanthropist, Jason brings a unique and valuable perspective to the organization.”

Taylor currently serves as an NFL analyst for ESPN. He devotes much of his time to leading the Jason Taylor Foundation, which he founded in 2004 along with his wife, Katina. The organization supports and creates programs that facilitate the growth and empowerment of South Florida children in need by focusing on improved health care, education and quality of life.

“During his NFL career Jason was a leader on the field and in his community,” said CHARLOTTE JONES ANDERSON, chairman of the NFL Foundation and executive vice president of the Dallas Cowboys. “We are excited to have Jason join the board and assist in guiding the foundation’s efforts to support our communities.”

Taylor joins fellow board members: MICHAEL BIDWILL, President, Arizona Cardinals; SHAHID KHAN, Owner, Jacksonville Jaguars; MARY OWEN, Executive Vice President of Strategic Planning, Buffalo Bills; ARTHUR J. ROONEY II, President, Pittsburgh Steelers; and LEONARD WILF, Owner/Vice Chairman, Minnesota Vikings.

About the NFL Foundation:

The National Football League Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those touched by the game of football – from players at all levels to communities across the country. The NFL Foundation represents the 32 NFL clubs and supports the health and safety of athletes, youth football, and the communities which support our game. For more information on The NFL Foundation, visit: www.NFLFoundation.org.

Greening of Super Bowl XLVIII Begins with Tree Plantings: New Orleans Contributes Trees to Environmental Kickoff Events

(NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY) Super Bowl XLVIII is still many months away but the “greening” of Super Bowl is already underway. Ceremonial tree plantings are taking place in two locations – one each in New Jersey (May 16) and New York (May 17).

The week begins with the final Super Bowl tree planting in New Orleans – the culmination of more than 2,000 trees planted as part of the greening of Super Bowl XLVII. At that New Orleans event, a “golden shovel” will be passed on to officials from the NY/NJ Super Bowl Host Committee. This ceremonial shovel travels from one Super Bowl community to the next. It symbolizes the environmental responsibility handed along to each new host community.

Eight to ten trees will be planted at each event: in New Jersey at Essex County Weequahic Park and in New York at Randall’s Island Park. At each location, one of the trees planted will be a willow oak; a gift from the New Orleans community. The willow oak was selected because it is native to both New Orleans and the New York/New Jersey region.

These events are a preview of the environmental projects being developed as part of Super Bowl – addressing solid waste, food waste, material reuse, and overall climate impact of Super Bowl activities and events. NFL support for urban forestry projects reduces the environmental impact of Super Bowl. It also allows the NFL to support ongoing community initiatives including the MillionTreesNYC project.

Environmental projects at Super Bowl involve broad community relationships. This week’s events are made possible by support from the NFL, the NYNJ Super Bowl XLVIII Host Committee, NFL sponsor Verizon, the City of New York – MillionTreesNYC, the New York Restoration Project, the State of New Jersey and the New Jersey Tree Foundation.

The NFL Environmental Program plays an active role behind the scenes at Super Bowl. The Environmental Program is responsible for recycling solid waste from Super Bowl events and donating building, decorative and office materials to local organizations for reuse. Tens of thousands of pounds of un-served food from Super Bowl events are distributed to local food banks. An annual project called Super Kids-Super Sharing puts thousands of pieces of sports equipment and books into the hands of local children in need of these items. A comprehensive climate change initiative combines support for urban forestry projects, use of biofuels, offsets for travel emissions and use of renewable energy to address the greenhouse gas production associated with Super Bowl events and activities. These projects are developed in partnership with the Super Bowl Host Committee, our sponsors and local and state agencies as well as local non-profit organizations.

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Support for these initial Super Bowl tree plantings comes from :

MillionTreesNYC, a cornerstone of Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC vision to establish a healthier, more sustainable New York City, is a public-private partnership between the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and Bette Midler’s New York Restoration Project, through which one million trees will be planted and cared for throughout the five boroughs. As part of MillionTreesNYC Parks is reforesting 2,000 acres of parkland into new, ecologically healthy, multi-story forests.   New forests help expand canopy cover in New York City, increasing the myriad environmental benefits already provided by our urban forest. Since MillionTreesNYC was launched in October 2007,  739,108 trees have been planted.  For more information, visit  www.milliontreesnyc.org.

Founded by Bette Midler in 1995, New York Restoration Project (NYRP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming open space in underserved communities to create a greener, more sustainable New York City. Unlike traditional conservancies that care for a specific place, NYRP is the only New York City conservancy that works citywide, bringing private resources to spaces that lack adequate municipal support. To learn more, please visit www.nyrp.org.

Verizon has a robust sustainability strategy, which includes free recycling rallies that have collected more than 1 million pounds of e-waste; an aggressive commitment to various ENERGY STAR programs resulting in more than 115 ENERGY STAR-certified stores; a wireless phone trade-in program, which has collected more than 1 million phones; and Verizon’s HopeLine program, which provides no-longer-used wireless phones into support for victims of domestic violence. The strategy supports Verizon’s goal of cutting by 50 percent its carbon intensity – the company’s main sustainability metric that measures the amount of energy needed to transport a terabyte of data over its networks – by 2020.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with more than 98 million retail connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500. A Dow 30 company with nearly $116 billion in 2012 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 183,400. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

The New Jersey Tree Foundation is a state-wide non-profit organization dedicated to planting trees in New Jersey’s most underserved neighborhoods. Through tree planting, volunteerism and education we assist numerous communities in improving their environment and quality of life. Tree Foundation programs are innovative and volunteer driven. Community-based tree plantings involving city residents work. We do not do the work for the people; we train them to take charge and complete the project themselves. That is empowering for folks who must face some of life’s most difficult circumstances. In the same vein, by employing ex-offenders, the Tree Foundation is providing the first stepping-stone of reintegration into society for men who have been imprisoned for years. For more information, visit  www.njtreefoundation.org

The 2014 NY/NJ Super Bowl Host Committee: In an unprecedented decision by NFL team owners, the New York/New Jersey region was awarded the 2014 Super Bowl on May 25, 2010.

The New York and New Jersey region will provide visiting fans an unparalleled Super Bowl experience – complete with a multitude of exceptional venues, landmark destinations, and sightseeing and shopping opportunities. The area offers 40 Broadway theatres, 60 Off-Broadway theatres, more than 100 museums and nearly 1,700 public parks, as well as more than 18,000 restaurant choices and 275 world-class hotels with 100,000 hotel rooms, suitable for a wide range of tastes and budgets.

Met Life Stadium is the only stadium to serve as the home to two NFL teams, the New York Giants and New York Jets. As such, it is able to provide equal “home field advantage” to both competing teams, with two of everything – including locker rooms, training rooms, home team coaches booths, and premium in-game medical treatment facilities, as well as two full-practice training facilities, the Timex Performance Center and Atlantic Health Jets Training Center.

NFL Health and Safety Update—May 16, 2013

For the complete release, click here

Chandler High School in Arizona Leads All High Schools with Three Players Selected in 2013 NFL Draft; 236 Schools Represented

With rookie minicamps now complete, the 2013 NFL Draft class has experienced its first taste of NFL life.

And while the drafted rookies enter the NFL from a variety of different backgrounds, one thing they generally all have in common is an outstanding experience playing high school football.

The 2013 drafted rookies range from Punahou High School in Honolulu, Hawaii to Karksi-Nuia High School in Karksi-Nuia, Estonia. A total of 236 high schools contributed to the 254 players selected in the seven rounds of the 2013 NFL Draft on April 25-27, USA Football announced today. Chandler High School in Chandler, Arizona led all high schools with three players selected.

“There’s a lot of great athletes that come out of the program,” said Miami Dolphins first-round selection DION JORDAN, a Chandler grad. “They train us well to get us ready for college, make sure we take care of business in school, first of all, so we can have that opportunity. Because of the community and the coaching, a tremendous amount of athletes come from our area.”

Seventeen schools had at least two players selected, with four of those schools producing a first-round choice – Chandler in Chandler, Arizona (defensive end Dion Jordan by Miami); Dutchtown in Geismar, Louisiana (safety ERIC REID by San Francisco); Miami Norland in Miami, Florida (cornerback XAVIER RHODES by Minnesota); and Newnan in Newnan, Georgia (linebacker ALEC OGLETREE by St. Louis).

For the complete release, click here

NFL Preseason Dates & Times Announced

The dates and kickoff times of the 65-game NFL preseason schedule were announced today, beginning with the annual NFL/Hall of Fame Game between the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys in Canton, Ohio on Sunday night, August 4.

Televised live at 8:00 PM ET by NBC, the NFL/Hall of Fame Game is the first of 11 national preseason telecasts carried by NFL broadcast partners CBS, ESPN, FOX and NBC that will feature the entire 2012 playoff field.

NFL Network will also provide extensive coverage of the NFL preseason, including live game broadcasts in all four weeks of the preseason.  NFL Network’s preseason broadcast schedule will be announced in July.

For the complete release, click here