The PGA Tour is hiring NFL government vice chairman Brian Rolapp as its CEO to work alongside commissioner Jay Monahan, sources informed ESPN on Thursday.
Based on ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Seth Wickersham, Rolapp has agreed to depart his function with the NFL after spending 22 years with the league. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell despatched a memo to group executives and presidents Thursday informing them of Rolapp’s departure.
The PGA Tour declined remark when reached by ESPN on Thursday, although a coverage board assembly is scheduled for Monday, during which Rolapp’s hiring may very well be finalized, sources informed ESPN.
The PGA Tour has been looking for a CEO since December; NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps, TaylorMade Golf CEO David Abeles and others had been additionally linked to the place.
Sources informed ESPN that Rolapp, because the chief media and enterprise officer, was the lead architect of the NFL’s media and enterprise playbook throughout a time when the league’s development exploded. He’s thought-about a possible successor for Goodell, and leaving to assist lead one other skilled sports activities circuit is not anticipated to hinder his probability to try this as soon as Goodell steps down sooner or later, the sources mentioned.
Rolapp has been in his place since 2017 and beforehand labored because the NFL’s chief working officer and senior vice chairman of media technique and digital media. He additionally labored because the CEO of NFL Community and government vice chairman of NFL Media.
In his present function, Rolapp oversaw promoting gross sales, sponsorships and TV contracts, which reportedly earn the league greater than $10 billion per season.
Monahan changed Tim Finchem as PGA Tour commissioner in January 2017, turning into the fourth to fill that function. He was closely criticized by the league’s golfers and others when the circuit secretly reached a framework settlement in June 2023 to type an alliance with Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund and the DP World Tour.
The PIF has financed the rival LIV Golf League the previous 4 years. It lured away a number of PGA Tour stars, together with previous main champions Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and Jon Rahm, with assured contracts value greater than $100 million.
The perimeters have been trying to barter a deal because the framework settlement expired on the finish of 2023; they final met on the White Home in February.
Monahan helped the tour attain a possible $3 billion take care of Strategic Sports activities Group, a consortium of billionaire sports activities group house owners, to spend money on the circuit’s for-profit entity, PGA Tour Enterprises.
SSG, which is led by Fenway Sports activities Group, made an preliminary funding of $1.5 billion, with the opportunity of one other $1.5 billion coming later. The PGA Tour controls the for-profit firm, which issued fairness shares to golfers who remained loyal to the tour.
Atlanta Falcons proprietor Arthur Clean, PGA Tour participant administrators Tiger Woods and Adam Scott, and outgoing commissioner Monahan had been a part of the committee that chosen Rolapp as the brand new CEO.
