Jim Steeg

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Jim Steeg (born November 29, 1950, in Boston, Massachusetts) is an American sports executive. [1] He is considered throughout the National Football League (NFL) as the individual most responsible for growing the Super Bowl into the most popular one-day sporting event in the world. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Contents

He has been organizing and managing sports events across various leagues. [6] He has been the Chairman of the athlifefoundation.org since 2016 and currently serves as a special marketing advisor to the University of North Carolina Women’s Soccer Team. [7] [8]

Biography

He was born in Boston and raised in Ft. Wayne, earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Miami University in Ohio and an MBA from Wake Forest. He is married to Jill Lieber an author of two books and 3-time Pulitzer Prize nominated writer with Sports illustrated and USA Today. [5]

Career

Steeg began his career in football in 1975 as the chief accountant for the Miami Dolphins, earning an annual salary of $12,000. [9]

Super Bowl

In 1979, he joined the NFL as the Director of Administration, overseeing the Super Bowl and the draft. [10] His tenure at the NFL lasted until 2005, leaving as Senior Vice President of Special Events. [1]

In his 26 years with the National Football League (NFL), he was responsible for numerous innovations, including the introduction of celebrity national anthem performances, superstar halftime shows, and corporate hospitality villages, [9] and managed all aspects of the Super Bowl, including site selection, stadium preparation, concerts, accommodations, hospitality, broadcasting, transportation, security, design, ticketing, events, and local community relations, overseeing up to 10,000 employees on site. [11]

He also managed Super Bowl charitable events that raised more than US$50 million for host communities and children. He also implemented the NFL's Super Bowl Minority and Women-Owned Emerging Business Program in the early 1990s. [12]

Steeg introduced key Super Bowl elements, including Jumbotron screens, enhanced-audio TV broadcasts, TV access at concessions, entertainment plazas, corporate hospitality villages, and environmental recycling. [13]

Steeg has guest lectured and taught at universities including UNC Chapel Hill, NC State, Wake Forest, San Diego State, Stanford, and UC Berkeley. From 2017 to 2019 Steeg taught “Contemporary Issues in American Sports” at Duke University’s OsherLifelong Learning Institute. [14]

NFL

In his 35 years with the National Football League (NFL) managed all aspects of the Super Bowl, including site selection, stadium preparation, shows, accommodations, hospitality, broadcasting, transportation, security, design, ticketing, events, and local community relations, overseeing up to 10,000 employees on site. [15] [16] [17]

He chaired the NFL planning of the 75th anniversary celebration, which included the first use of throwbacks uniforms. He revamped the Pro Bowl in Honolulu starting in 2000 and spearheaded the international expansion of the NFL by organizing American Bowl games in Berlin and Barcelona in the early 1990’s. He organized the NFL kickoff events in Times Square in 2002 and the Washington Mall in 2003. He oversaw the NFL/Senior PGA tour event as well as the Quarterback Challenge. He served as an instant replay official in the mid 1980’s. [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26]

San Diego Chargers

From November 2004 until April 2010, Steeg was the executive vice president and chief operating officer of the NFL's San Diego Chargers, where he was in charge of all business operations for the team. [27] [28] and Mexico, [29] as well as improved Chargers' alumni relations. [30]

During his tenure, the team's revenue streams grew through sponsorships, stadium concessions, merchandise and parking, as well as record sales of tickets, club seats and suites. [31] Under his watch, the Chargers were the first NFL team to experiment with Kangaroo TV (FanVision) and WiseDV. On March 31, 2010, Steeg left the Chargers to pursue career in consulting. [32] [33]

Miami Dolphins

His career started with the Miami Dolphins where he started as chief accountant. He oversaw all aspects of the front office and game day operations. [34] He negotiated contracts for the Orange Bowl, concessions, preseason games scheduling, team travel, television, radio, players and coaches. [35] He instigated group sales programs, the first Hispanic radio broadcast, professional cheerleaders, and returned Flipper to the Orange Bowl. [36]

He worked with the Miami Toros which became the Fort Lauderdale Strikers organizing the move to Tamiami Stadium and then Lockhart Stadium overseeing administration and operations for the team. [37] Currently he work as a sports advisory to entities such as the NHL, Pac-12, USC, UCLA, and the Rose Bowl. He directed the inaugural Pac-12 Football Championship Game and chaired the USFL Advisory Board. [9] He was appointed by Mayor Kevin Faulconer to San Diego's Citizens Stadium Advisory Group (CSAG) in 2015 that identified a site and financing plan for a new football stadium in 110 days. [38] He is on the advisory board of Pacific Pro Football, a developmental football league that has not yet launched. [39]

Volunteer Boards

He was co-chair of the Special Events Committee for the 2008 United States Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines in LaJolla, California. [11] He has served on the boards of the Downtown YMCA of San Diego, the Make A Wish Foundation of San Diego, and the University of San Diego Athletic Department Executive Cabinet. [40]

He has served on the boards of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of San Diego, Hunger Related Events, Saddlebrook Resorts and the Babcock School at Wake Forest. [34] He was instrumental in raising funds for the Ramsey (N.J.) High School Athletic Department. [14]

Awards

In 2002, Steeg was honored as a member of the inaugural class of the Special Events Hall of Fame. [41] In 2005, he was recognized as the Hoosier Celebrity of the Year by the Mad Anthony's, a charitable organization in Fort Wayne, Ind. [42] [43] In 2008, he received the Pete Rozelle Award from the New Orleans Touchdown Club. [44] He was selected to the DeMolay Hall of Fame in 2015 and the Phi Delta Theta Sports Hall of Fame the same year. Sports Business Journal recognized Steeg as part of its prestigious 2020 Class of The Champions: Pioneers and Innovators in Sports Business. [45]

The Athletic named him one the 100 most important individuals in the history of the National Football League. [46]

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References

  1. 1 2 "San Diego Chargers Management Profile: Jim Steeg" http://www.chargers.com/team/staff/jim-steeg/f18de4c1-eea2-46a2-93fb-4d22c Archived 2012-03-18 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-18. Retrieved 2010-07-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ↑ "Ringmaster Calls All the Shots for Greatest Show in NFL," by Jill Lieber, USA TODAY, January 19, 1998
  4. ↑ "Tending to Super Bowl XXV -- and the Next 5 Years," By Rick Maloney, Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal, January 22–28, 2001
  5. 1 2 "Champions 2020: Jim Steeg". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. Retrieved 2020-09-08.
  6. ↑ "NFL's Jim Steeg Created Super Bowl Spectacular". Investor's Business Daily. 2018-01-29. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  7. ↑ https://demolay.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/steeg_nomination.pdf Jim Steeg
  8. ↑ Moore, Terence. "From NFL's Michael Jackson Guy: Taylor Swift May Sing At Super Bowl, But Not With Usher". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  9. 1 2 3 Lefton, Terry. "Jim Steeg took the Super Bowl from a football game to a spectacle". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  10. ↑ Good, Steve (2016-06-30). "Hugh Durham, Jim Steeg, And Bill Toomey Inducted Into Phi Delta Theta's Sports Hall of Fame". Phi Delta Theta. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  11. 1 2 clawver (2015-08-12). "Jim Steeg talks Charger's Stadium". It's Your Money and Your Life Radio Show. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  12. ↑ Sandomir, Richard. "How Jackson Redefined the Super Bowl". NY Times.
  13. ↑ "Charities Reap Super Share From the Game," by Jill Lieber, USA TODAY, February 1, 1999.
  14. 1 2 "Champions 2020: Jim Steeg". www.sportsbusinessjournal.com. 2020-03-09. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  15. ↑ "Even the Super Bowl Has a Quarterback," by Bill Murphy, Houston Chronicle, May 15, 2009. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/176223-even-the-super-bowl-has-a-quarterback
  16. ↑ "Extreme Job Stress: Survivors' Tales," by Sam Walker, The Wall Street Journal, January 17, 2001.
  17. ↑ "For 26 years, He's Been the 'Super' Man," by Mark Curnutte, Cincinnati Enquirer, February 5, 2005. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.d11/article?AID=2005502050418
  18. ↑ Sandomir, Richard (2009-06-30). "How Jackson Redefined the Super Bowl". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  19. ↑ "The Evolution of an Extravaganza," by John Helyar, ESPN.com, January 29, 2007. sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs06/news/story?id=2747099
  20. ↑ "Evolution of the Super Bowl," by Stacey Henson, The Saginaw News, February 2, 2008. http://blog.mlive.com/saginawnews/2008/02/evolution_of_the_super_bowl.html
  21. ↑ "NFL Maestro," by Mark Schlabach, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, January 24, 2000.
  22. ↑ "Jim Steeg: 'A Problem Solver, Not a Back-Slapper,' " by Doug MacEachern, Arizona Republic/Tribune Newspapers, January 28, 1996.
  23. ↑ "All Super Bowl, All the Time," by Kyle Parks, St. Petersburg Times, January 16, 2001.
  24. ↑ "He's Mr. Super Bowl," by Joey Johnston, Tampa Tribune, January 21, 2001.
  25. ↑ "He'll Leave the Light On," the Florida Times Union, February 2, 2005.
  26. ↑ "His Super Bowl Detail is Done After 26 Years," by Terry Lefton, Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal, February 14–20, 2005.
  27. ↑ San Diego Magazine, February 2005: Dialogue with Tom Blair. http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/media/San-Diego-Magazine/February-2005/Jim-Steeg
  28. ↑ "Southwest Riverside County a Catch for Chargers," by Landon Negri, North County Times, January 16, 2010. http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/swcounty/article_c4063669_d9bb_53ba_b97a_f21154acb044.html
  29. ↑ "NFL Finds Fans on the Other Side of the Border," by the Associated Press, September 27, 2007. http://www.msnbc.com/id121015273%5B%5D
  30. ↑ "50 Years and Chargin'!", by Mike Emmons, BoltBeat.com, July 12, 2009. http://www.boltbeat.com/2009/07/12/50-years-and-chargin
  31. ↑ "S.D. Chargers Executive Adapts to New Pace," by Mike Allen, San Diego Business Journal, July 18, 2005.
  32. ↑ "Steeg Moving on to Pursue 'Further Challenges,' " March 16, 2010. http://www.chargers.com/news/press-releases/article-1/Steeg-moving-on-to-pursue-further-challenges/e63b3eb9-117c-4d4c-bc57-f51262484464 Archived 2012-03-18 at the Wayback Machine
  33. ↑ "Steeg Stepping Down as Chargers COO," by Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, March 16, 2010. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/mar/16/Steeg-stepping-down-Chargers-COO
  34. 1 2 "Steeg's Super Bowl detail is done after 26 years". www.sportsbusinessjournal.com. 2005-02-14. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  35. ↑ "Jim Steeg to be new president?". FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums. 2004-10-01. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  36. ↑ "NFL teams find fans on other side of the border". NBC News. 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  37. ↑ "Super Bowl 50 Countdown–26 Weeks To Go: Jim Steeg, Who Made The Game What It Is Today, Weighs In On The Bay Area As A SB Site And Tells How He Once Sold 84,000 Seat Cushions To Steve Jobs". The Mercury News. 15 August 2015.
  38. ↑ "Ex-NFL Official Steeg On San Diego's Stadium Advisory Group - CBS Los Angeles". www.cbsnews.com. 2015-01-30. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  39. ↑ "Pacific Pro Football League to debut in 2018". ESPN.com. 2017-01-11. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
  40. ↑ "Jim Steeg". Phi Delta Theta. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
  41. ↑ Industry Legends: American Events Management Institute. http://www.usaemi.org/news/ONEWS.asp?id+92
  42. ↑ "The Mad Skills of a Super Bowl Mastermind," by Blake Sebring, The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, June 11, 2005.
  43. ↑ "NFL Executive to Get Red Coat," by Phil Bloom, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, May 20, 2005.
  44. ↑ Touchdown Club of New Orleans, Pete Rozelle Award Winners. http://www.saintsnews.net/2009/02/12/touchdown-club-of-new-orleans-2009-honorees-announced/ Archived 2011-07-24 at the Wayback Machine
  45. ↑ Lefton, Terry. "Champions 2020: Jim Steeg". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. Sports Business Journal. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  46. ↑ Kaplan, Daniel. "The NFL's 100 most influential business people of all-time (Nos. 51-100)". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2024-09-04.
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