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The NFL went from being one of the most politicized brands in America to a uniting force. 

Why it matters: A clear, concerted effort around one key message — Football is for everyone — helped the league make this pivot, says senior vice president of communications Katie Hill.

That message underpins how the NFL communicates about what's happening on and off the field, she told the audience. 

Catch-up quick: The NFL witnessed a flurry of scandals involving player safety, domestic violence, race relations and sports gambling, which created reputational challenges and polarized its millions of fans across the country.  

Now, it is experiencing record ratings, expanding into international markets and embracing younger, female fans. 

What they're saying: "We have this platform, and with that comes incredible responsibility," says Hill. "We have used tough moments to think about how we can be part of the solution." 

For example, the NFL is now one of the largest corporate funders of domestic violence prevention programs in the country, according to Hill. 

The league has also prioritized player safety by addressing equipment and practice protocols. 

Yes, but: To show the change, you can't shy away from communicating about these issues directly, she says. 

"If [we] say something, it makes news. If [we] don't say something, it makes news. We have a huge, embedded press corps that covers [the NFL's] every move that requires real strategic care and feeding, but it also presents incredible communications opportunities."

Zoom in: The league has also focused on taking these messages to the audiences that matter most, which can be tricky given its "sprawling ecosystem of stakeholders." 

"It used to be that you communicated with one voice to all of them at once, and that isn't the case anymore," Hill says. "We think about our fans, our players and our players union, our teams, our team owners, the team employees, the league office employees, our sponsors and partners, regulators and public officials, critics and the number of advocacy groups who we support." 

"It is about identifying the different messages that you're using to reach those communities and also making sure you know what they care about, that you're listening to them." 

And having one of the world's most beloved pop stars as a fan also helps. 

"Taylor [Swift] has been incredible for the NFL. ... There is no question that she has led to an influx of female fans and new people watching our game," Hill says. "At the same time, the reality is that we've spent many years working to increase the number of female fans who are watching our games." 

Even before the Swift effect, about 50% of the fan base was women, Hill says. 

What to watch: The NFL is working to bring a new stakeholder group into the fold — foreign audiences. 

This year, the league hosted five international games and plans to increase it to 16 annually. Plus, the NFL sees more opportunities to entice new fans with the addition of flag football to the 2028 Olympics.  

How the NFL rebranded to become America's uniting force

The NFL went from being one of the most politicized brands in America to a uniting force.

Photo of SVP of Comms for the NFL Katie Hill at Axios Communicators Live

NFL senior vice president of communications Katie Hill speaks with Axios senior media reporter Sara Fischer at Axios Communicators Live. Photo: Steven Duarte on behalf of Axios

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The NFL went from being one of the most politicized brands in America to a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="uniting force" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/07/nfl-tv-ratings-live-events-viewership" data-vars-content-id="e9a16850-95ad-4b1e-aa26-969f4c66def1" data-vars-headline="How the NFL rebranded to become America&#x27;s uniting force" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/07/nfl-tv-ratings-live-events-viewership" target="_self">uniting force</a>. Why it matters: A clear, concerted effort around one key message — Football is for everyone — helped the league make this pivot, says senior vice president of communications <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Katie Hill" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/08/communicator-spotlight-katie-hill-nfl" data-vars-content-id="e9a16850-95ad-4b1e-aa26-969f4c66def1" data-vars-headline="How the NFL rebranded to become America&#x27;s uniting force" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/08/communicator-spotlight-katie-hill-nfl" target="_self">Katie Hill</a>.<ul><li>That message underpins how the NFL communicates about what&#x27;s happening on and off the field, she told the audience. </li></ul>

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How the NFL rebranded to become America's uniting force

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