Here’s a fun fact, the NFL will be celebrating its 100th season in 2019. This is something that I wasn’t aware of until recently, and the NFL plans to celebrate with a series of NFL 100 events over the course of the year. This is not only about events, but they will also promote initiatives and programming centered around fans, players and communities. This is quite the achievement for the NFL, isn’t it? 100 years is a long time for anything, but for a sports league to survive, and even thrive the way it has is pretty incredible.
This year-long celebration will salute the millions of fans who love the game, as well as to highlight the unifying nature of football and its positive impact in communities. The NFL also plans to look ahead to the next 100 years. When I think about this, I certainly agree that we want to highlight the positive aspects of the game, but I also wonder if there is the opportunity to learn from past mistakes when it comes to looking ahead? I’m not saying that there is anything fundamentally wrong with the NFL, but I think it could use some improvement, don’t you? That’s not to say that things aren’t improving, but I think there’s always room for improvement – no matter how great a system is to start.
What will these initiatives include? The NFL plans on unveiling a special NFL 100 logo, which will be prominently displayed throughout the season – including during celebrations on the field, in stadiums, during game broadcasts, and as part of NFL Films, NFL Network programming and other digital or social media content. The NFL 100 logo will also be featured on game balls and on every player’s game jersey somewhere near the neck. NFL business partners will also be using the logo in activations and on any of their merchandise.
The NFL is pulling out all the stops for the logo at least, and this is what NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had to say about the league:
“For nearly 100 years, the NFL has been part of the fabric of America, unifying communities and bringing fans together to support their favorite teams and players. We have the greatest fans in the world. Next year, we will join our fans in celebrating what this incredible game means to each of us.”
Overall, I enjoy a good celebration, if it’s for the right reasons. The NFL is a huge industry and millions of people tune in every week to watch their favorite teams win and sometimes lose, so of course, its worth celebrating. All that said, here are a few celebratory events that you can watch out for in 2019:
- Weekends in local team markets will bring together high school football programs with fan festivals and NFL games that celebrate past, present and future players and coaches.
- A blue-ribbon panel of former players, general managers, coaches, NFL historians and media will select the All-Time Team and the 10 greatest coaches in NFL history. The All-Time Team and many other on-field accomplishments will be celebrated throughout next year.
- NFL Media — including NFL Network and NFL Films — will offer original programming and content to celebrate the 100th season across multiple platforms.