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-- In
honor of Women’s History Month, following is a synopsis of women’s interest
in football, and the role women are playing in the NFL --
WOMEN: A LARGE PART OF
THE NFL
From
stay-at-home moms to stockbrokers, 43 percent of the NFL’s fan base is women.
Whether they're grand moms, working moms or women just working hard, 54
million women find time to fit in NFL football each year.
Online, more than 25
percent of an estimated 15 million fantasy players are women, according to a
study conducted by the Ipsos marketing research company. That totals 3.75
million women.
More than one million
girls annually participate in NFL Pepsi Punt, Pass & Kick.
And more women watch
the Super Bowl than the Academy Awards. This year, 44 percent more women
watched Super Bowl XXXVIII (39.2 million) than watched the Academy Awards
(27.1 million).
Each season, more
than 10,000 women attend NFL 101 Workshops for Women. NFL 101 covers life
in the NFL, the history of football, strategy, equipment, officiating and
other football subjects.
The Pittsburgh
Steelers, for example, held their third annual Motorola Women’s Training
Camp in 2003.
"I had such a good
time,” said Ann
Karaica of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania.
“The whole thing is so organized. It amazes me. I like the idea of
learning what the players do. I've learned to appreciate them more as
players. When they make mistakes I don't criticize them like I used to
because I now understand how difficult it really is.”
More than 20 teams
offer NFL 101 Workshops for Women.
Behind the scenes,
more and more women are making advances on the administrative side at the
league and club levels of the NFL.
“One of our key
priorities is to have a league that represents, supports and celebrates
diversity,” Commissioner Tagliabue says. “Women have a significant and
growing role in our league. They are an increasing part of our fan base,
and there are more women contributing to the league and our clubs in
executive and staff positions today than ever before.”
Female executives
at the league and the 32 teams help the game’s popularity stay strong:
|
Name |
Title
|
Organization |
|
Theresa Abato |
Director of
Premium Services |
Baltimore Ravens |
|
Charlotte
Anderson |
VP/Director of
Charities & Special Events |
Dallas Cowboys |
|
Dawn Aponte |
Salary Cap
Analyst |
New York Jets |
|
Jennifer Ark |
Director of
Premium Guest Services |
Green Bay
Packers |
|
Mary Pat
Augenthaler |
Senior Director
of Special Events |
National
Football League |
|
Anita Bailey |
Director of
Corporate Sponsorship |
Kansas City
Chiefs |
|
Susan Bass |
VP of
Communications and Community Relations |
Atlanta Falcons |
|
Nancy Behar |
Director of
Broadcast Administration |
National
Football League |
|
Jamia Bigalow |
Director of
Affiliate Marketing |
National
Football League |
|
Katie Blackburn |
Executive VP |
Cincinnati
Bengals |
|
Tracey
Bleczinski |
Director of
Retail Development |
National
Football League |
|
Katie Boes |
Senior Director
of International Media |
National
Football League |
|
Linda Bogdan |
Corporate Vice
President |
Buffalo Bills |
|
Jeanne Bonk |
VP & Chief
Financial and Administrative Officer |
San Diego
Chargers |
|
Danielle Boyce |
Director of
Regional Sales & Marketing |
New Orleans
Saints |
|
Adrian Bracy |
VP of Finance |
St. Louis Rams |
|
Edwina Britton |
Director of
Finance |
Jacksonville
Jaguars |
|
Lynn Carrozzi |
Ticket Manager |
San Francisco
49ers |
|
Rena Clark |
VP of Community
Affairs & Corporate Philanthropy |
New England
Patriots |
|
Beth Colleton |
Director of
Community Affairs |
National
Football League |
|
Allison Collinger |
Director of Corporate Relations and Community Outreach |
St. Louis Rams |
|
Carol
Constantine |
Director of
Labor Administration & Information |
National
Football League |
|
Annette Coyne |
Director of
Special Events |
Kansas City
Chiefs |
|
Valerie Cross |
Director of
Player Benefits |
National
Football League |
|
Pat Curley |
VP of
Information Technology |
New England
Patriots |
|
Robin Dally |
Director of
Sponsorship Sales |
National
Football League |
|
Anastasia Danias |
Associate
Counsel |
National
Football League |
|
Shawn Dennis |
VP of
Marketing Services |
National
Football League |
|
Lisa Dixon |
Director of
Consumer Marketing |
Baltimore Ravens |
|
Diane Downing |
Director of
Stadium Operations |
Cleveland Browns |
|
Jesse Ewing |
VP of Strategic
Development |
National
Football League |
|
Judy Fearing |
Vice President
of Marketing |
NFL Network |
|
Jen Ferron |
Executive
Director of Marketing
Operations |
New England
Patriots |
|
Georgia
Frontiere |
Owner |
St. Louis Rams |
|
Cindy Galloway |
Senior Director
of Community Development |
Denver Broncos |
|
Beth Gay |
Director of
Player Development |
Detroit Lions |
|
Nancy Gill |
Senior VP of
Human Resources |
National
Football League |
|
Paula Guibault |
Senior
Intellectual Property Counsel |
National
Football League |
|
Leslie Hammond |
Director of
Media Services |
National
Football League |
|
Cindy Hart |
Director of
Suite Sales & Services and Special Events |
New Orleans
Saints |
|
Renee Harvey |
Director,
Community Relations & Assistant Director, Cleveland Browns Foundation |
Cleveland Browns |
|
Kate Hogan |
Director of
Retail Operations |
Green Bay
Packers |
|
Karen Hudson |
Director of
Marketing |
National
Football League |
|
Maryruth Hughey |
Director of
Ticket Operations |
New England
Patriots |
|
Jennifer
Johnston |
Director of
Creative Services |
Jacksonville
Jaguars |
|
Joann Kamay-Sahm |
Director of
Network Services DGA |
National
Football League |
|
Erica Klair |
Director of
Marketing |
National
Football League |
|
Adrienne Klotz |
Lighting
Director |
NFL Network
|
|
Roxanne
Kosarzycki |
General Counsel |
Tampa
Bay
Buccaneers |
|
Kimberley Layton |
Director of
Community Relations |
San Diego
Chargers |
|
Lisa Lazarus |
Labor Relations
Counsel |
National
Football League |
|
Rita LeBlanc |
Finance and Business Executive |
New Orleans Saints |
|
Belinda Lerner |
Senior Director of Employee Relations |
National
Football League |
|
Francine Lubera |
Director of
Publications and Assistant Public Relations Director |
Baltimore Ravens |
|
Melanie Marohl |
Salary Cap
Analyst |
Green Bay
Packers |
|
Sarah Martinez-Helfman |
Executive Director
of Youth Partnership |
Philadelphia
Eagles |
|
Susan
McBride-Rothman |
Vice President
of Consumer Products |
National
Football League |
|
Sandra McCann |
Director of
Financial Planning |
National
Football League |
|
Virginia
McCaskey |
Owner |
Chicago
Bears |
|
Molly Mullady |
Director of New
Business Development |
Philadelphia
Eagles |
|
Vicky Neumeyer |
General Counsel |
New Orleans
Saints |
|
Christiana Noyalas |
Director of
Premium Services and Guest Relations |
Philadelphia Eagles |
|
Tracy Perlman |
Director of
Marketing |
National
Football League |
|
Debbie Pollom |
Director of Scouting Administration |
St. Louis Rams |
|
Christine
Procops |
VP and CFO |
New York
Giants |
|
Sue Robichek |
Director of
Special Events & Planning |
National
Football League |
|
Krista
Saponara |
Feature
Producer |
NFL Network
|
|
Charleen
Sharpe |
Comptroller |
New Orleans
Saints |
|
Brenda Sniezek |
Director of
Community Relations |
Kansas City
Chiefs |
|
Allison Stangeby |
Director of Community Relations |
New York Giants |
|
Donna Steele |
Director of Purchasing |
National
Football League |
|
Jill Strafaci |
Senior VP of
Finance & Administration |
Miami Dolphins |
|
Michelle Tessier |
Director of
Public Relations |
Washington
Redskins |
|
Suzie Thomas |
Senior
VP/General Counsel/Chief Administrative Officer |
Houston Texans |
|
Amy Trask |
Chief Executive |
Oakland Raiders |
|
Vicki
Vannieuwenhoven |
Director of
Finance |
Green Bay
Packers |
|
Heather Wallace |
Production
Accountant |
NFL Network |
|
Deborah Wardrop
|
Director of
Hospitality |
National
Football League |
|
Delores Barr
Weaver |
Chair and CEO of
Jaguars Foundation |
Jacksonville
Jaguars |
|
Marsha Wells |
Controller |
San Diego
Chargers |
|
Debby Whelchel |
Controller |
San Francisco
49ers |
|
Kimberly
Williams |
Senior VP of
Finance & NFL Business Ventures |
National
Football League |
|
Catherine Yancy |
Senior Director
of Marketing & Entertainment Programming |
National
Football League |
|
Denise DeBartolo
York |
Owner |
San Francisco
49ers |
|
Karen Zust |
CFO |
Chicago Bears |
|