NFL Meeting: Indy Remains Combine Host; Marketing, HBCU Platforms Expanded
Tuesday, May 24, 2022 at 04:29PM By Barry Janoff
May 24, 2022: The NFL had one of its most productive days of the off-season, setting dates for future Scouting Combines, expanding its international marketing platform and unveiling a medical-teaching alliance with Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
During the NFL Spring League Meeting today in Atlanta, the NFL said Indianapolis has been awarded the 2023 and 2024 Scouting Combine, continuing the city's status of hosting the event since 1987.
This was the first time the NFL put the Combine up for bid, a process similar to such league events as the Super Bowl and NFL Draft.
Three cities — Dallas (AT&T Stadium), Indianapolis and Los Angeles (SoFi Stadium) — put in bids to host the event in 2023 and 2024. The official bid process for the Combine started in December 2021, with proposals due in April 2022.
Financial terms were not disclosed. The NFL did not say when a bidding process for the 2025 Combine and beyond would begin.
For the next two years, the Scouting Combine will continue to be held in Lucas Oil Stadium.
The 2023 NFL Combine is scheduled for Feb. 28-March 6.
The 2024 NFL Combine is scheduled for Feb. 27-March 4.
"We know many cities want to host the NFL Combine, and we're incredibly appreciative the NFL continues to put its faith in Indy," Leonard Hoops, president and CEO for Visit Indy, said via the organization. “We are proud so many media, agents, scouts, coaches and athletes organically called to keep the event here.
“And after more than three decades of hosting the Combine, our excitement has only grown when it comes to continuing our work with the NFL and the National Invitational Camp to make the event better every year for all those stakeholders as well as the growing number of fans who want to experience it in person."
Also during the Spring League Meeting today, the NFL’s International Committee said four new International Home Marketing Areas have been approved.
The Los Angeles Rams add New Zealand as their fourth IHMA and the Philadelphia Eagles were granted access to Australia, New Zealand, and Ghana — the latter the first NFL club to enter a market in Africa.
The expanded program now includes 19 teams granted access to 30 International Home Marketing Areas across ten different countries.
Club International Home Marketing Areas, by market, are listed below.
There are five International games on the NFL schedule for the upcoming season, three in the U.K., one in Germany and one in Mexico.
The International HMA initiative, which launched this past January, grants NFL clubs access to international territories for “marketing, fan engagement and commercialization as part of an important, long-term, strategic effort to enable clubs to build their global brands while driving NFL fan growth internationally.”
"We've seen great momentum since teams began entering their markets earlier this year," Peter O'Reilly, NFL evp-club Business and League Events, said via the league.
"From launching social media accounts, to hosting in-market events, to announcing Draft picks from locations around the world, clubs are creating moments to really engage and energize our international fanbase. We look forward to seeing what the Eagles and Rams have planned for their new markets."
The NFL, together with the NFL Physicians Society and the Professional Football Athletic Trainer Society today launched the NFL Diversity in Sports Medicine Pipeline Initiative.
The program seeks to “increase and diversify the pipeline of students at four Historically Black Colleges and Universities medical schools interested in pursuing careers in sports medicine to help make a positive impact in the field and, over time, help to diversify NFL club medical staff.”
The schools include Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Howard University College of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine and Meharry Medical College.
"Increasing diversity across every role in our league and at our clubs is essential," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said via the league. "Diversity makes us stronger.
“We have an opportunity to help increase the pipeline of diverse sports medicine professionals, which is imperative for us as a league. This initiative is an example of how we can lend our platform for a societal benefit. I'm proud that our league can help inspire the next generation of sports medicine professionals."
During the two-day meetings, as part of the NFL's "ongoing commitment to promote greater coach and C-suite level diversity among clubs," the NFL hosted its inaugural Coach and Front Office Accelerator.
The Accelerator, convened more than 60 diverse head coach and general manager prospects from all clubs and the league, with ownership representation from all 32 clubs.
The program provided senior women and minority prospects with leadership development sessions with football operations experts and facilitators, as well as time spent networking directly with club owners.
According to the NFL, “The effort is designed to continue building a diverse hiring pipeline for future head coach and general manager positions throughout the league.”
"The NFL is committed to diversity and inclusion, and this program is the latest in a series of steps designed to improve our hiring practices and create opportunities for advancement," said commissioner Goodell.
"The program helps ensure that clubs receive exposure to high-performing, up-and-coming NFL talent and candidates get a chance to learn the business on a working level from team owners and executives."
Club International Home Marketing Areas, by market:
• Australia: Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles
• Brazil: Miami Dolphins
• Canada: Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks
• China: Los Angeles Rams
• Germany: Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Ghana: Philadelphia Eagles
• Mexico: Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers
• New Zealand: Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles
• Spain: Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins
• U.K.: Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers.
NFL Builds International Marketing Platform
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