Andrew Beck, Demetric Felton Jr., and Kenny Moore II visit U.S. Troops and Families as Part of NFL's Salute to Service NEW YORK, N.Y. – March 29, 2022 – Denver Broncos fullback/tight end ANDREW BECK, Cleveland Browns running back DEMETRIC FELTON JR., and Indianapolis Colts cornerback KENNY MOORE II, will embark on a weeklong, National Football League (NFL) – United Service Organizations (USO) tour to Alaska to visit U.S. troops and their families at military bases, the NFL announced today. This USO tour resumes the annual trips after the COVID-19 pandemic had paused them for two years. An extension of the NFL's Salute to Service, this year's NFL-USO tour will visit an Army base, Air Force base, and Space Force station, with a focus on seeing an array of base activities, including unit visits, one-on-one meetings for mission briefings, and visits with the Security Forces K-9 Unit. Additionally, each of the players will have the opportunity to spend time with service members and their families, having the unique experience to see a day in the life of our Nation's heroes. "We are proud to partake in another tour with the USO and NFL players, especially after the pandemic had halted our ability to do so the past two years," said NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility Anna Isaacson. "The NFL has made a longstanding commitment to supporting the military and we are grateful to be able to give back to those who sacrifice so much for our freedom." For over 50 years, the NFL and USO have worked together to support the military by connecting them to family, home and country throughout their service to the nation. In 1966, the NFL teamed with the USO and became the first sports organization to send players on a tour to Vietnam and other parts of the Far East. Participation has spanned across generations—more than 250 NFL players, coaches and executives, including TERRY BRADSHAW, DREW BREES, BILL COWHER, LARRY FITZGERALD, CAMERON JORDAN, VON MILLER and JASON WITTEN, have traveled on USO tours to 27 countries to thank more than 100,000 service members. "Whether we are teaming up with the NFL to assemble USO Care Packages, opening or renovating centers around the world, or participating in a USO tour to boost the morale of the military community, for more than 50 years, the NFL has partnered with the USO as a Force Behind the Forces," said USO CEO and President, J.D. Crouch II. "The USO is grateful for the NFL's continued support and dedication to keeping our Armed Forces connected to family, home and country." In addition to tours both overseas and domestically, the NFL, through its Salute to Service initiative, has partnered with the USO to express gratitude to the Armed Forces and to bring communities of fans and supporters together to give more than thanks to the military. Leveraging American football as the cornerstone of the partnership, the USO and NFL honor, empower and connect service members and military families. Through support of USO center expansions, most recently USO Lakenheath this past November, holiday programming and a variety of other events and activations, the NFL helps to deliver sports, entertainment and gaming to troops called to serve missions around the world. For more information on the USO, please visit uso.org. | NFL AND TICKETMASTER EXTEND LEAGUE-WIDE TICKETING PARTNERSHIP | [MARCH 29, 2022] - NFL and Ticketmaster today confirmed an extension of their League-wide ticketing partnership. The four-year deal will continue to provide secondary ticketing services on behalf of the League and Clubs, and also includes the option for Club primary ticketing services. The announcement was made at the Annual League Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida following a review of the partnership by full ownership. Ticketmaster has committed to continue operating the League's first-of-its-kind "open" system for ticketing, which enables fans to find verified NFL tickets across multiple ticket marketplaces. The new deal aims to further evolve the NFL's "open" ticketing system, which at its core is intended to provide a best-in-class and secure ticket buying & gameday entry experience, while continuing to drive innovation within the ticketing space. | Approved 2022 Playing Rules and Resolutions | NFL clubs adopted the following rules change and resolution proposals today at the NFL Annual Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida:
Approved 2022 Playing Rules Summary 1. By Indianapolis and Philadelphia; amends Rule 16, to allow both teams an opportunity to possess the ball in overtime in the postseason.
3. By Competition Committee; makes permanent the free kick formation change implemented during the 2021 season that established a maximum number of players in the setup zone.
Approved 2022 Resolutions Summary G-1. By Baltimore, Buffalo, Philadelphia, and Tampa Bay; amends the Anti-Tampering Policy, in regard to Secondary Football Executive positions, to allow the employer club the choice to retain its player personnel staff through the Annual Selection Meeting. After the selection meeting through June 30, the employer club is required to grant permission for another club to interview and hire a non-high-level executive or non-secondary football executive for a secondary football executive position. | Cumulus Media's Westwood One and the NFL Renew and Expand Longstanding Audio Media Partnership | Multi-Year Agreement Expands Rights to Include Westwood One
Broadcasts on Stations' Digital Streams and the NFL App; Creates
New NFL Content Opportunities for Westwood One
NEW YORK, NY, March 28, 2022 – Cumulus Media's Westwood One (NASDAQ: CMLS), the largest audio network in the U.S., and the National Football League today announced they have extended and expanded their partnership with a new multi-year agreement. Westwood One has been the official network audio broadcast partner of the NFL for more than 35 consecutive seasons and 50 years overall. Westwood One will continue to provide play-by-play coverage for Monday Night Football; Sunday Night Football; Thursday Night Football plus Thanksgiving Day; select international games; the entire postseason including the Wild Card and Divisional Playoffs, AFC and NFC Championship games; and the Super Bowl. The NFL on Westwood One reaches more than 56 million listeners each season. Under the terms of the new deal, Westwood One retains exclusive national broadcast radio distribution rights to the aforementioned games, and adds the following new elements to the partnership: ▪ Westwood One's NFL primetime game broadcasts will be available free to fans on affiliated stations' primary digital platforms and on the NFL App. ▪ Westwood One will offer expanded coverage of NFL tentpole events throughout the year, including NFL Honors, NFL Combine, NFL Draft, and NFL Schedule Release. ▪ Westwood One and the NFL will explore creating new alternate game broadcasts in addition to the traditional Westwood One play-by-play. "What an honor it is for Westwood One to continue our multi-decade programming relationship with our iconic NFL partners by extending our exclusive network audio broadcast rights," said Suzanne Grimes, President, Westwood One and EVP Corporate Marketing, Cumulus Media. "Equally exciting is the opportunity to further grow our NFL fan base by expanding our relationship to include digital distribution rights as well as innovative, new content opportunities." "We're pleased to continue our valued, long-term partnership with Westwood One," said Brent Lawton, VP Media Strategy and Business Development. "Audio is an important platform for the NFL, and Westwood One has a long history of delivering excellent game broadcasts and other content. We're excited to expand with Westwood One on to digital platforms, providing our fans even more ways to follow the sport they love." Westwood One's broadcast coverage of the NFL includes an all-star line-up of talent featuring some of the biggest names in football, including Emmy-nominated broadcaster Rich Eisen, two-time NSMA Sportscaster of the Year Kevin Harlan, and a host of former players, "Hall of Famers", and coaches providing in-game analysis.
In addition to live game coverage and pregame and halftime shows, Westwood One Sports also offers feature programming including NFL Insider, NFL Preview, NFL101, and NFL Fantasy Forecast.
Westwood One's live NFL broadcasts can be heard on nearly 500 terrestrial radio stations nationwide. Coverage can be streamed online at WestwoodOnesports.com, Westwood One's affiliate stations' primary digital sites and apps, and via the NFL App.
About Westwood One
Westwood One, the national-facing arm of Cumulus Media (NASDAQ: CMLS), offers iconic, nationally syndicated sports, news, and entertainment content to more than 250 million monthly listeners across an audio network of nearly 9,500 affiliated broadcast radio stations and media partners. Westwood One is the largest audio network in America, broadcasting premium content that defines the culture and some of the most exciting sporting events across multiple audio platforms. In addition to being the exclusive partner to the NFL since 1987, Westwood One has exclusive rights to NCAA Basketball, including the NCAA Men's and Women's Championships and the Final Four; it is also the exclusive provider of the Men's and Women's Frozen Four, the Men's and Women's Lacrosse Championship, and the Men's and Women's College World Series. Westwood One also distributes and represents CBS Sports Radio. Westwood One is also home to the Masters, CNN, the AP, the Academy of Country Music Awards, and Westwood One Backstage. The rapidly growing Cumulus Podcast Network delivers popular network and industry personalities and programs. Westwood One connects listeners with their passions through programs and platforms that have everyone listening. For more information, please visit www.westwoodone.com. | NFL Announces Diversity Advisory Committee Members |
Expert panel to review existing diversity and hiring policies, provide recommendations Today, the National Football League (NFL) announced the creation of the NFL Diversity Advisory Committee, following its pledge last month to retain outside experts to review the league’s diversity policies and practices. The six-member committee will lend its expert, external perspective on industry best practices and will evaluate league and club diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies and initiatives, including all hiring processes, policies and procedures, with a primary focus on senior-level coach and front office personnel positions. After completing this evaluation, the committee will provide comprehensive recommendations to the league office and club ownership for consideration. Comprising top experts from the academic, legal, DEI, football and corporate worlds, the committee’s membership, which will convene initially in the coming weeks, is as follows: - Pamela Carlton, Founder and President, Springboard
- Peter Harvey, Former Attorney General of New Jersey; Partner, Patterson Belknap
- Patricia Brown Holmes, Managing Partner, Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila
- Stefanie K. Johnson, Associate Professor, University of Colorado Boulder’s Leeds School of Business
- Rick Smith, Former General Manager, Houston Texans
- Don Thompson, CEO and Founder, Cleveland Avenue, LLC, and Former President and CEO, McDonald’s Corporation
“We’ve worked for years and made progress in many areas to ensure that staff and leaders in our office and at our clubs reflect the racial and gender makeup of America, but we have more work to do, particularly at the head coach and front-office level,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “This esteemed group’s work will help us build a more inclusive league. We look forward to their recommendations – and to continuing our conversations with other outside experts, community and civil rights leaders, Fritz Pollard Alliance and current and former players and coaches – to make our efforts and those of the clubs more effective so that real and tangible results will be achieved.” “I am pleased to have the opportunity to work with the NFL, a vitally important organization in the world of sports and in American culture, on such critical matters like DEI and its policies and practices related to hiring and retention," said Pamela Carlton. “The other committee members and I look forward to completing a rigorous, independent analysis of how the NFL and its clubs approach diversity and inclusion to ensure that minority candidates have equitable opportunities at the highest levels.” Member Biographies of the NFL Diversity Advisory Committee Pamela Carlton, Founder and President, Springboard
After 22 years on Wall Street as an investment banker and head of research, Pamela launched Springboard – Partners in Cross Cultural Leadership, LLC in 2003. Springboard, which Pamela has led as President since its founding, is an organizational consulting firm that assesses organizations for an inclusive culture and then recommends interventions, develops and implements diversity, equity and inclusion strategies, and provides independent advisory services in legal settlements involving DEI issues. Springboard also conducts research on DEI and develops leadership and professional development seminars in the corporate and non-profit sectors, including clients American Express, Boeing, 3M, PepsiCo, Time Warner, Moody’s Investors Service, JPMorgan Chase, Constellation Energy, Medtronic, SEO and MetLife, among others. In 2014, Pamela co-founded The Everest Project research initiative dedicated to women breaking new ground and organizations reaching new heights by championing and elevating women leaders. Sponsored by Time Warner and Walmart, Everest issued a report entitled, “The Eve of Change: Women Redefining Corporate America,” which identified key strategies senior women across affinity groups use to lead transformational change in their organizations. Pamela retired as a Managing Director and Associate Director of U.S. Equity Research at JPMorgan Chase in May 2003, having also served as Director of U.S. Equity Research for Chase Asset Management from 1996 to 1999. Prior to JPMorgan Chase, Pamela was an investment banker with Morgan Stanley from 1982 to 1991 in corporate finance and capital markets and served as Morgan Stanley’s Co-Director of U.S. and Latin America Equity Research from 1991 to 1996. Pamela began her career as a corporate attorney at Cleary Gottlieb. Pamela serves on the Boards of Evercore , where she is on the Audit Committee; Columbia Threadneedle Investments (the mutual fund board of Ameriprise) where she chairs the Governance Committee and previously chaired the Audit Committee; Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance ; and New York-Presbyterian Hospital where she is on the Executive Committee and chairs the People Committee. In 2021, she was elected to the Governing Council of the Independent Directors Council for the mutual fund industry. Pamela is a member of the Women’s Forum of New York. She has also served on the Board of Visitors of both Yale School of Management and Yale Law School, and the Board of Trustees of Williams College. Pamela earned a B.A. from Williams College and was President of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. She also earned a J.D. from Yale Law School and an M.B.A. from Yale School of Management. Peter Harvey, Former Attorney General of New Jersey; Partner, Patterson Belknap
Peter Harvey is a past Attorney General of New Jersey and a former federal prosecutor. As such, Peter has been a central player in civil and criminal trials, government investigations, and consumer fraud matters for many years. A gifted trial lawyer, his nearly 30 years of courtroom experience includes significant commercial matters, frequently within the hospitality, pharmaceutical and entertainment/sports industries. Mr. Harvey was nominated to serve as independent monitor for the Newark Police Department, responsible for overseeing the NPD's compliance with a Consent Decree issued by the U.S. Department of Justice. He also currently represents corporations and individuals in business disputes throughout the nation. He has tried several major civil and criminal jury and non-jury cases in federal and state courts. He also conducts internal investigations for senior executives seeking to learn facts about employee misconduct or inappropriate business practices. Peter also assists clients in navigating Grand Jury Subpoenas and government Civil Investigative Demands. He works with clients to develop strategies to achieve the client’s desired result, whether through trial, court decision, or settlement. Peter managed an Attorney General’s Office of 9,600 employees in 10 separate divisions and a budget of approximately $1 billion. He had principal responsibility for coordinating New Jersey’s homeland security strategy for both law enforcement and the private sector as Chairman of the cabinet-level New Jersey Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force. He was one of six Attorneys General that met regularly with the U.S. Attorney General and senior U.S. Department of Justice officials to discuss various national law enforcement policy issues. Peter continues to be connected to issues upon which state Attorneys General are focused through his participation in the National Association of Attorneys General and his close association with present and former Attorneys General. He served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey where he tried cases involving financial fraud, organized crime, and bank robbery. Upon graduation from Law School, he served as law clerk to the Hon. Dickinson R. Debevoise, United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey. Peter received his B.A. from Morgan State University and his J.D. from Columbia Law School.
Patricia Brown Holmes, Managing Partner, Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila Patricia Brown Holmes is a highly respected and accomplished lawyer who focuses her practice on the areas of high-stakes commercial litigation, crisis management, white-collar crime, and legal client counseling. Patricia is the first African American woman to lead and have her name on the door of a major law firm that is not women- or minority-owned. As a former state court judge and experienced prosecutor and defense lawyer, she brings a unique variety of capabilities to her practice. Patricia’s comprehensive trial experience, coupled with her deft management abilities, position her as a valuable advocate and trusted adviser to her clients.
Prior to serving as an associate judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Patricia was an Assistant U.S. Attorney and an Assistant State’s Attorney. She is one of only a handful of attorneys in the State of Illinois who has tried cases in state, city, and federal court as well as state appellate, federal appellate, and state supreme courts. Patricia has practiced in courtrooms from all sides of the bench – as a prosecutor, defense attorney, and as a judge. Given her familiarity with sensitive legal matters, she is also extremely qualified to conduct internal investigations and assist clients in managing their most critical “bet-the-company” crises. She is keen on business continuity, media and public relations, risk assessment, conflict resolution and recovery, and recurrence prevention. Every matter ends with lessons learned. Applying sound judgment, creative strategies, and common sense, Patricia navigates complicated and delicate legal matters with appropriate discretion and poise. Patricia is widely recognized as an engaging speaker having presented to both corporations and law firms on a variety of continuing legal education topics, including ethics and diversity and inclusion. She has won many awards and accolades for her involvement in the legal community, mentoring successes, and efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Patricia served as an associate judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County for nine years. She previously served the City of Chicago as its Chief Assistant Corporation Counsel for Municipal Prosecutions, supervising a staff of attorneys practicing in chancery and municipal courts.
Patricia holds Bar Admissions in Illinois, the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar) and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois. She has received numerous special appointments including being appointed Co-Chair of the Illinois Supreme Court Judicial Screening Committee. Patricia has been an adjunct professor at Northwestern University’s school of law as well as Loyola’s institute for paralegal studies. Her work has been in numerous publications, and she holds over 35 accolades and awards for her work. Patricia earned her B.S. from the University of Illinois as well as her J.D.
Stefanie K. Johnson, Associate Professor, University of Colorado Boulder’s Leeds School of Business Dr. Stefanie K. Johnson is a researcher focused on the intersection of leadership and diversity and works with the best companies to implement evidence-based practices to reduce unconscious bias and increase inclusion. She has lent her expertise and thought leadership to organizations like The World Economic Forum, NASA, and The Conference Board. She is a member of Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches, was recognized by Thinkers50 in 2020 and 2021, and is the author of the national bestseller, “Inclusify: Harnessing the Power of Uniqueness and Belonging to Build Innovative Teams.” Her work is published in top journals, and she has received $3.8 million in external grant funding, including funding from NIOSH, CDC/NIH, NASA, and Army Research Institute. Stephanie has presented her work at over 170 meetings around the world including at the White House for a 2016 summit on diversity in corporate America. Media outlets featuring Stefanie’s work include The Economist, Newsweek, Time, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, HuffPost, Marie Claire, Washington Post, Quartz, Discover, CNN, ABC, NBC, CNBC. She has appeared on Fox, ABC, NBC, CNN, and CNN International.
As an associate professor at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Leeds School of Business, Stephanie teaches undergraduate and graduate students focused on leadership and inclusion. She holds the Andrea and Michael Leeds Research Fellowship, is the Director of CU Boulder’s Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative at Leeds and is a 2020 CU Boulder RIO Fellow. She is a fellow in the Society of Industrial-Organizational Psychologists (SIOP) and the American Psychological Society (APS). She earned a B.A. from Claremont McKenna College, as well as an M.A. and Ph.D. from Rice University.
Rick Smith, Former General Manager, Houston Texans Rick Smith is an American football executive. He served as the general manager of the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL) from 2006 to 2017, the youngest general manager in the NFL when he took the job at age 36. He also served as the team's executive vice president of football operations from 2012 to 2017, overseeing all football-related operations and the player acquisition process. He was honored with the 2008 Tank Younger Award, presented annually by the Fritz Pollard Alliance for outstanding work in an NFL front office. Rick was also an original member of the General Managers Advisory Committee that provided advice and other feedback to the NFL Football Operations department on the integrity of the game, expansion of technology, and other ways to improve the game. Rick stepped back from his GM/EVP position in 2017 to deal with family matters.
A former college football player himself, Rick was a strong safety and team captain during his college career at Purdue University. After his playing career, he became the youngest full-time position coach in the Big Ten Conference when he was hired as Purdue's secondary coach at the age of 24. Rick began his career in the NFL in 1996 as a member of the Denver Broncos staff as an assistant defensive backs coach, winning the Super Bowl his first two seasons with the team. In 2000, he moved to a front-office role when the Broncos named him their Director of Pro Personnel - one of his duties was studying changes to the rulebook, which later led Rick to a coveted slot on the NFL’s Competition Committee. This career move landed him with the Houston Texans as their General Manager in 2006. He attained a B.S. from Purdue University.
Don Thompson, Former President and CEO, McDonald’s Corporation Don Thompson is the former President and CEO of the McDonald’s Corporation, where he grew with the company for 25 years. An electrical engineer by education and trade, Don approached his leadership of the world’s largest restaurant chain in a strategically methodical manner, while still embracing the warmth and enthusiasm of the dynamic teams around the world. He helped the McDonald’s corporation create global platforms for the company’s beverages, sustainability, and digital initiatives. In 2015, Don left McDonald’s to form Cleveland Avenue, LLC, bringing together his vast restaurant expertise and engineering experience with his passion for innovation, digital trends, and startup concepts. Don leads the Cleveland Avenue team in bringing creative and consumer-focused restaurant, food, and beverage ideas to reality. Don is committed to mentoring others, fueled by his foundation in faith, family, and community.
Don serves on the board of directors of Ronald McDonald House Charities, Catalyst, and Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He is also a member of Purdue University's board of trustees. Don received his B.S. from Purdue University. | Joint Statement From NFL Clubs On Commitment To Increasing Diversity Among Ownership | Following a discussion among the 32 NFL clubs, the membership adopted today the below statement and resolution that outlines its commitment to increasing diversity among ownership.
"The NFL member clubs support the important goal of increasing diversity among ownership. Accordingly, when evaluating a prospective ownership group of a member club pursuant to League policies, the membership will regard it as a positive and meaningful factor if the group includes diverse individuals who would have a significant equity stake in and involvement with the club, including serving as the controlling owner of the club."
| DETROIT TO HOST 2024 NFL DRAFT PRESENTED BY BUD LIGHT | Draft Celebrations and NFL Draft Experience to take place in Downtown Detroit [MARCH 28, 2022] – The NFL announced today the 2024 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light will take place in downtown Detroit. The area around Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza will serve as the event site for the Draft, which has become one of the most anticipated sports events of the year for the tens of thousands of fans who will attend the three-day event and millions more watching and engaging around the world. The announcement was made at the Annual League Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida following a review of the proposal by the Fan Engagement & Major Events Advisory Committee and full ownership. "The Draft has become a prominent offseason event across the country, and we are excited to work with the Lions and their partners to bring the 2024 NFL Draft to the Motor City," said NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL. "With the help of Visit Detroit, the Detroit Sports Commission, and the City of Detroit the Lions passionate fan base and all visitors will be treated to an incredible three-day experience." As part of the event, the NFL Draft Experience – the NFL's interactive football theme park – will provide fans a free opportunity to take part in participatory games, enjoy interactive exhibits, musical performances, and autograph sessions, and take pictures with the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The Draft Experience will be open all three days of the event. "Today is a historic day for Detroit with the announcement that the 2024 NFL Draft is coming to the Motor City," said CLAUDE MOLINARI, Visit Detroit President and CEO. "Visit Detroit is looking forward to working with our partners in the hospitality community to welcome enthusiastic football fans from across the country who will make our city a pigskin pilgrimage stop. Hosting the draft is another exciting win for Detroit, and it will deliver a powerful economic impact and highlight the vibrancy of our region." "As we learn that Detroit has been selected to host the 2024 NFL Draft, today is momentous for our city and the Detroit Sports Commission," said DAVE BEACHNAU, Detroit Sports Commission Executive Director. "Hosting the NFL Draft in Detroit promises to be a celebration of our community's spirit. It will deliver high value for our residents, businesses, and the great fans who make Detroit the best sports city in America. Our partnerships with the Detroit Lions and other valued community organizations helped make this bid a reality. Now, the real work begins with our focus on our collective commitment, contributions, and collaboration. We are steadfast to host a tremendous event in 2024." The NFL Draft has become one of the biggest and most-anticipated sporting events of the year. The 2021 NFL Draft in Cleveland was seen by an average audience of 6.1 million viewers (TV + Digital) across ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN Deportes and digital channels for the three-day event, making it the third most-watched Draft ever. The 2022 NFL Draft presented by Bud Light will take place in Las Vegas on April 28-30, followed by 2023 in Kansas City on April 27-29. Fans interested in more information on the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit can register at VisitDetroit.com/2024NFLDraft. In addition, the Detroit Sports Commission, in partnership with the Detroit Lions, will host a free, festive football-themed community event for fans of all ages on Thursday, April 14 at Campus Martius Park to celebrate the awarding of the 2024 NFL Draft to Detroit. More information on the celebration will be announced in the coming days. NFL DRAFT LOCATION HISTORY | Draft | Location | City | | 1936 | Ritz-Carlton | Philadelphia | | 1937 | Hotel Lincoln | New York | | 1938 | Hotel Sherman | Chicago | | 1939 | Hotel New Yorker | New York | | 1940 | Schroeder Hotel | Milwaukee | | 1941 | Willard Hotel | Washington, D.C. | | 1942-44 | Palmer House | Chicago | | 1945-47 | Hotel Commodore | New York | | 1948 | Hotel Fort Pitt | Pittsburgh | | 1949-50 | Bellevue-Stratford Hotel | Philadelphia | | 1951 | Blackstone Hotel | Chicago | | 1952 | Hotel Statler | New York | | 1953-54 | Bellevue-Stratford Hotel | Philadelphia | | 1955 | Warwick Hotel | New York | | 1956 | Bellevue-Stratford Hotel (Rounds 1-3) | Philadelphia | | | Ambassador Hotel (Rounds 4-30) | Los Angeles | | 1957 | Warwick Hotel (Rounds 1-4) | Philadelphia | | | Bellevue-Stratford Hotel (Rounds 5-30) | Philadelphia | | 1958-61 | Warwick Hotel | Philadelphia | | 1962-64 | Sheraton Hotel | Chicago | | 1965-66 | Summit Hotel | New York | | 1967 | Hotel Gotham | New York | | 1968-71 | Belmont Plaza Hotel | New York | | 1972 | Essex House | New York | | 1973-74 | Americana Hotel | New York | | 1975 | Hilton Hotel | New York | | 1976-78 | Roosevelt Hotel | New York | | 1979 | Waldorf | New York | | 1980-83 | Sheraton Hotel | New York | | 1984-85 | Omni Park Central Hotel | New York | | 1986-94 | Marriott Marquis | New York | | 1995-2004 | Theatre at Madison Square Garden | New York | | 2005 | Jacob Javits Convention Center | New York | | 2006-2014 | Radio City Music Hall | New York | | 2015-16 | Auditorium Theatre at Roosevelt University / Grant Park | Chicago | | 2017 | Benjamin Franklin Parkway | Philadelphia | | 2018 | AT&T Stadium | Dallas | | 2019 | Downtown Nashville | Nashville | | 2020 | Remote | Remote | | 2021 | Downtown Cleveland | Cleveland | | 2022 | Las Vegas Strip & Caesars Forum | Las Vegas | | 2023 | Downtown Kansas City | Kansas City | | 2024 | Downtown Detroit | Detroit
|
| HBO Sports, NFL Films and the Detroit Lions Join Forces for Hard Knocks Training Camp with the Detroit Lions | HBO SPORTS®, NFL FILMS AND THE LIONS JOIN FORCES FOR HARD KNOCKS: TRAINING CAMP WITH THE DETROIT LIONS, A NEW SEASON OF THE GROUNDBREAKING SPORTS REALITY SERIES, DEBUTING AUGUST 9 HBO Sports and NFL Films are partnering with the Detroit Lions for an unfiltered all-access look at what it takes to make it in the National Football League with HARD KNOCKS: TRAINING CAMP WITH THE DETROIT LIONS. The five-episode season debuts TUESDAY, AUGUST 9 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET) with additional hour-long episodes debuting subsequent Tuesdays at the same time, culminating in the September 6 season finale. The first sports-based reality series, and one of the fastest-turnaround programs on TV, will debut on HBO and be available to stream on HBO Max.
HARD KNOCKS: TRAINING CAMP WITH THE DETROIT LIONS will mark the 17th edition of the 18-time Sports Emmy®-winning series and the most acclaimed serialized sports series on television. HBO has aired 82 memorable episodes and one anniversary special in its first 16 seasons.
"We are excited about the opportunity to showcase the City of Detroit and the amazing culture we are building at the Lions," said Detroit Lions Team President and CEO, Rod Wood. "HBO Sports and NFL Films are the best of the best and we know they will be excellent partners in sharing our story with football fans around the world."
Camera crews will head to the Lions' training camp in Allen Park, Michigan in the next few months to begin filming, with the action heating up in August when the cinema verité show focuses on the daily lives and routines of players and coaches. HARD KNOCKS: TRAINING CAMP WITH THE DETROIT LIONS will chronicle head coach Dan Campbell entering his second season leading the team and an intriguing mix of young emerging stars, established veterans, free agent additions and highly regarded rookie hopefuls throughout training camp and the preseason. HARD KNOCKS: TRAINING CAMP WITH THE DETROIT LIONS will be narrated by Liev Schreiber, marking his 16th season with the show.
"As Hard Knocks enters its third decade inside NFL training camps, we are both thrilled and thankful for the opportunity to feature a historic franchise like the Lions," said NFL Films Vice President and Senior Coordinating Producer, Ken Rodgers. "The city, the culture and the coaching staff in Detroit all have an exciting energy that will make the show must-watch television this summer."
A 30-person NFL Films crew will be at Lions' training camp in Allen Park, shooting more than 1,750 hours of footage over the course of the series. Camera and sound crews will have unencumbered access to players' and coaches' meeting rooms, training rooms, living quarters and practice fields.
Winner of 18 Sports Emmy® Awards to date, HARD KNOCKS launched with the Baltimore Ravens in 2001, followed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2002, and resumed in 2007 with the Kansas City Chiefs, subsequently spotlighting the Cowboys (2008), Cincinnati Bengals (2009), New York Jets (2010), Miami Dolphins (2012), Bengals (2013), Atlanta Falcons (2014), Houston Texans (2015) and Los Angeles Rams (2016). The 2017 edition chronicled the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and captured the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Serialized Documentary. The widely acclaimed 2018 series with the Cleveland Browns earned two Sports Emmy® Awards for production excellence. The 2019 series spotlighted the Oakland Raiders as they played their final season in the Bay area before moving the franchise to Las Vegas. In an unprecedented programming move, the 2020 edition of the venerable series spotlighted both Los Angeles NFL teams: The Los Angeles Chargers and the Los Angeles Rams. Last year featured "America's Team", the Dallas Cowboys, marking their third appearance on the series.
Eleven of the last thirteen teams featured on HARD KNOCKS have equaled or improved their win-loss record in the regular season. The Cleveland Browns launched the transformation of their organization on HBO and went from a winless 2017 season to coming within half a game (7-8-1) of a .500 campaign. The 2019 season saw the Raiders improve their record to 7-9 from the previous year's 4-12 mark. Both Los Angeles' teams, Rams and Chargers, improved their records in 2020 with two more wins from the previous year; with the Rams making the playoffs. Last year the Cowboys won their division going 12-5 from the previous year's 6-10 mark.
The Washington Post wrote, "Turning football players into people is what HBO's HARD KNOCKS series does so well. The massive scope, meticulous editing and time-hopping special effects that highlight a production under massive time constraints are all impressive, but it's the film crew's access to NFL players that makes the program special." NFL.com stated, "There are myriad reasons why HARD KNOCKS remains one of the best shows on television; it's ability to show us the human side of cutdown weekend is near the top," while USA Today wrote, "Players' lives and their hopes and dreams play out each NFL preseason on HARD KNOCKS. It's that month-long human drama that makes the show so profoundly compelling."
Winner of 133 Sports Emmy® Awards, NFL Films remains a gold standard in sports television, providing unprecedented access to and legendary storytelling about the sport of professional football. NFL Films is a part of NFL Media, the owned and operated media division of the National Football League, which is comprised of NFL Network, NFL Films, the NFL App, NFL.com and NFL RedZone.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
