Report: NFL executive Brian Rolapp set to become PGA Tour CEO

NFL executive Brian Rolapp is set to become the next PGA Tour CEO, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Seth Wickersham reported. Rolapp will work closely alongside commissioner Jay Monahan in a newly created position, which the Tour announced in December.

Rolapp spent 22 years with the NFL and serves as the league’s executive vice president and chief media and business officer. He developed a reputation as a respected executive and some considered him to be a potential successor to commissioner Roger Goodell at some point.

In his role with the NFL, Rolapp led media businesses such as NFL Network, NFL sponsorships, NFL media assets, digital media rights and TV contracts. Before he joined the league office, Rolapp was an analyst for CIBC World Markets and the director of business development for NBC Universal. He spent three years with NBC before joining NFL Network in 2003.

“After 22 remarkable seasons of dedicated leadership and significant contributions, Brian Rolapp will be leaving the NFL to pursue other opportunities. … 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 teams obtained by Sports Business Journal. “We will share more details soon.”

More on the PGA Tour’s move to hire a CEO

The PGA Tour’s plans to hire a CEO came after Strategic Sports Group invested $1.5 billion in January. That number could grow to $3 billion from the group of American business owners, led by Fenway Sports Group.

“We’re bringing new perspectives on to our team to help us realize the incredible opportunities ahead for our sport, including launching a search for a CEO of the PGA Tour,” Monahan said in a video message at the time. “We can learn so much from across the world of sport and entertainment, and I’m excited to meet candidates for this important new role.”

At the time the PGA Tour announced plans to hire a commissioner, it was also in active negotiations with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia regarding a potential minority investment. The PIF backs PGA Tour rival LIV Golf, and the goal was to unite a divided sport as the two tours competed.

The PGA Tour, PIF and DP World Tour came to a framework deal in June 2023. However, talks since stalled, and Sports Illustrated reported the PGA Tour rejected an offer in April from the PIF that would have made PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan co-chairman of the PGA Tour Enterprises board.