March 9, 2006

NFL's offseason includes Kellogg workout

The National Football League (NFL) and NFL Players Association (NFLPA) are partnering with the Kellogg School of Management to provide business education to participating NFL players. 

Players attended classes this week on the Evanston campus as part of the NFL’s Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program. 

Players will receive a customized executive education program that focuses on developing and selling a brand and evaluating franchise opportunities. This program provides a foundation for recognizing sound marketing plans and preparing players to ask key questions when analyzing opportunities.

“The Kellogg School’s executive education program for the NFL has an entrepreneurship theme, but with an emphasis on marketing,” said Professor Steven Rogers, the academic director of the program and director of the Kellogg School’s Levy Institute for Entrepreneurial Practice. “We want the players to learn how to market themselves and manage their own personal brands.”

The players will be engaged in courses taught by Kellogg School faculty. Professor Daniel Diermeier will teach a class called “Defending Your Brand” while Professor Victoria Medvec will teach a negotiations course. Other professors participating include Tim Calkins, Derrick Collins, Ranjay Gulati, Barry Merkin, John Ward and Greg White.

The Kellogg School also will enlist full-time student volunteers from the Black Management Association, Private Equity and Entrepreneurship Club, and the Sports Business Club to participate in group study sessions. The full-time students will help facilitate discussion and will be able to offer different perspectives to the players.

NFL players attending the Kellogg School program are:

Ian Allen (Arizona), Ben Archibald (New Orleans), Jacob Bell (Tennessee), Colin Branch (Carolina), Ran Carthon (Seattle), Sam Cowart (Minnesota), Donovin Darius (Jacksonville), Ben Hartsock (Indianapolis), Justin Hartwig (Tennessee), Reggie Howard (Miami), Scott Jackson (Tampa Bay), Bradie James (Dallas), Jeno James (Miami), Kyle Johnson (Denver), Kevin Jones (Detroit), Lewis Kelly (New York Giants), Sean Mahan (Tampa Bay), Dennis Norman (Jacksonville), Vaughn Parker (Washington, retired) Tony Parrish (San Francisco), Pierson Prioleau (Washington), Al Smith (Houston, retired), Todd Steussie (Tampa Bay), Jason Taylor (Miami) and Troy Vincent (Buffalo, NFLPA president).

In addition to the courses, the players will have the opportunity to hear from two former NFL players who have established themselves successfully in the business world — Hall of Famer Gale Sayers and former Pro Bowler Gary Fencik.

Sayers spent his career with the Chicago Bears and was the youngest player inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame. Today, he runs a company that provides technology products and services and is a premier minority-owned business enterprise.

Fencik spent 12 seasons with the Chicago Bears and was co-captain of the 1985 Super Bowl championship team. A 1985 MBA graduate of the Kellogg School, Fencik is the Head of Business Development for Adams Street Partners in Chicago.