NFL to split vacant Chief Media Officer role among multiple execs

The NFL will reportedly replace Roger Goodell’s right-hand man with both a right- and left-hand man (or woman).

According to a report by Scott Soshnick and Kurt Badenhausen in Sportico, the NFL will spread the duties of recently departed Chief Media & Business Officer Brian Rolapp between multiple executives. Rolapp, a 25-year NFL veteran, left to become CEO of the PGA Tour last week.

“We have spent some time planning for this change and are confident we will successfully manage the responsibilities while we align our structure to meet our long-term strategic goals,” Goodell wrote in a memo to owners, per Sportico.

Per Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal, current EVP of Media Distribution Hans Schroeder is the “most likely” to take Rolapp’s place as the top media executive at the NFL. Chief Revenue Officer Renie Anderson, who reported to Rolapp prior to his departure, is seen as likely to report directly to Goodell and take on some of Rolapp’s old responsibilities.

Puck’s John Ourand reports that three of Rolapp’s other direct reports, NFL Media SVP David Jurenka, Business Development SVP Dhruv Prasad, and NFL Films exec Ross Ketover might also see “some added responsibilities.”

However the league divvies up Rolapp’s responsibilities, it has just a few years to prepare for a widely expected opt-out of its current media agreements. The 2029 option will allow the NFL to negotiate new media rights agreements and could dramatically change the way fans consume the league.