HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL KICKS OFF ANNUAL EXECUTIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR NFL PLAYERS

BOSTON - On February 25, twenty-eight NFL players representing teams from across the league, including the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and New Orleans Saints, will travel to Harvard Business School (HBS) to take part in an executive education program that addresses the unique business opportunities and challenges faced by NFL players during and following their professional football careers.

The NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program is made up of two modules, February 25 – 28 and April 1 – 4, and is part of an ongoing initiative by the NFL and the NFL Players Association to help athletes prepare for life after football.

“This program helps smooth the transition from locker room to the business world and enables players to use football as a pathway to a second successful career,” said Professor W. Carl Kester, Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs at HBS. “A critical part of this rigorous program involves helping players hone their business judgment so that they can recognize the difference between attractive and unattractive business opportunities.”

The customized curriculum is taught by full-time HBS faculty and focuses on topics such as financial analysis and valuation, marketing strategies, and real estate investment, as well as the legal and tax issues that players will face. In addition to analyzing and discussing case studies, which is a core part of every academic program at HBS, players will take part in classes on self-assessment and career planning, and workshops focusing on entrepreneurship.

During the four-week break between the two modules, the players will research a business concept or entrepreneurial venture and prepare to discuss the idea with HBS faculty and the other participants upon their return to campus in April. Throughout their time at HBS, players have the opportunity to work directly with faculty members who have an expertise in their area of interest.

This is the third consecutive year that Harvard Business School has worked with the NFL and the NFL Players Association to develop customized executive education programming for players. HBS works with a variety of select companies across industries, including energy, financial services, information technology, and consumer products, to develop customized executive education programs that strengthen leadership capabilities and address specific organizational issues.

About Harvard Business School
Founded in 1908 as part of Harvard University, Harvard Business School (www.hbs.edu) is located on a 40-acre campus in Boston. Its faculty of more than 200 offers full-time programs leading to the MBA and doctoral degrees, as well as more than 40 Executive Education programs. For almost a century, HBS faculty have drawn on their research, their experience in working with organizations worldwide, and their passion for teaching to educate leaders who have shaped the practice of business around the globe.