Football - NFL To Bring NFL.com Operations In-house

NFL will increases its owned and operated media assets by bringing NFL.com operations in-house. NFL.com is the most popular sports league website. This decision was taken after NFL club owners approved it at a league meeting in New Orleans on October 24, 2006.

NFL.com began in April 1995 as the first sports league website. It has been produced and operated by CBS SportsLine for the last five seasons. NFL.com is the anchor of NFL Internet Network and it includes all the 32 club sites. During the game season, NFL.com averages more than 15 million unique visitors. Even though the operations have been brought in-house, NFL clubs will continue to produce their own websites. NFL will operate NFL.com completely and this includes development of technology, infrastructure and content. A re-launch of NFL has been planned for spring.
NFL will continue to operate its other related sites, which include NFLrush.com for kids; NFLHS.com for high school and youth football; NFLatino.com for Hispanic fans; and jointheteam.com, the NFL community relations website. The NFL also operates an e-commerce site, NFLshop.com. This site is operated in conjunction with GSI Commerce Inc.
Emmy-award winning NFL Network and NFL Films will provide more video assets to NFL.com. This will include expanded highlights, features and game previews. NFL is set to enhance all facets of NFL.com and this includes news, coverage of press conferences and other events, fantasy games, statistics, search capability and community.
According to Brian Rolapp, NFL’s vice president of media strategy, the move to bring NFL.com in-house will provide NFL greater control over content and will help to strategically build NFL.com as a media asset.