Yesterday, executives from nine major professional sports leagues came together on the campus of NYU for an unprecedented industry summit convened by the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYUSPS) Tisch Institute for Sports Management, Media, and Business, which focused on the state and the future of Social Responsibility of Sports (SRS). The leagues in attendance were the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), Major League Baseball (MLB), Major League Soccer (MLS), the National Association for Stock Car Racing (NASCAR), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), the National Hockey League (NHL), the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour, and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). The commissioners of MLB (Rob D. Manfred, Jr.), MLS (Don Garber), NASCAR (Brian France), the NBA (Adam Silver), and the NFL (Roger Goodell), as well as several deputy commissioners and other high-level executives, assembled in direct response to an independent research project by the NYUSPS Tisch Institute.
 
The summit, which was facilitated by NYUSPS Tisch Institute for Sports Management, Media, and Business faculty members, brought forth an exchange of ideas and priorities meant to further articulate the leagues’ collective and individual commitment to developing a definitive set of best practices in the field of SRS. The objective of the summit, and ultimately the NYUSPS Tisch Institute, is to provide professional sports leagues with further tools and research, enabling them to create and evaluate social responsibility programs more effectively and efficiently—thus generating even greater impact on communities.

“We are grateful for the leagues’ open cooperation and encouragement throughout this initial research phase, said Arthur R. Miller, associate dean of the NYUSPS Tisch Institute for Sports Management, Media, and Business. “With the information we have acquired, we hope to help them move forward in a constructive way in using Social Responsibility of Sports as a game changer for the industry.”

The morning summit preceded a public afternoon conference titled, “Social Responsibility in Sports: Where Doing Good and Doing Good Business Meet.” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver delivered the keynote address at that conference. For a full agenda of the afternoon event, visit: sps.nyu.edu/tischinstitute/srs.

All Photo Credits: © NYUSPS/Mark McQueen

How Will Team Executives Lead the Social Responsibility of Sports?
From left to right: Brian Kilmeade, Co-host FOX & Friends (Moderator); Marc De Grandpre, General Manager, New York Red Bulls; Wyc Grousbeck, Managing Partner, Governor, CEO, and Co-Owner, Boston Celtics; Sam Kennedy, President, Boston Red Sox; Tanya Mruck, Director, Operations, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment; and
Stephen M. Ross, Chairman of the Board and Managing Partner, Miami Dolphins.

Public Policy: When Do Sports Leagues, Teams, and Organizations Get Involved?
From left to right: Arthur R. Miller, CBE, Associate Dean and Director, NYU School of Professional Studies Tisch Institute for Sports Management, Media, and Business; and Founder and Chairman, NYU School of Professional Studies Sports and Society (Moderator); Val Ackerman, JD, Commissioner, The BIG EAST Conference; John Sexton, PhD, JD, President Emeritus, New York University; Brian Ellner, JD, Executive Vice President and Group Head, Public Affairs, New York, Edelman; Domonique Foxworth, Former President, National Football League Players Association; Pat LaFontaine, Vice President for Development and Community Affairs, National Hockey League; Hockey Hall of Fame Inductee; and Charles Baker, JD, Partner, DLA Piper (US).