The NFL/NCAA Administrators Academy prepares the next generation of football administrators through immersive leadership development and hands-on mentorship.
The NFL/NCAA Administrators Academy assists graduate assistants and interns by expanding their capacity to perform in leadership roles within college and professional athletic administration. The academy equips aspiring football administrators with development resources and the skills needed to thrive in an evolving sports business landscape.
The NFL and NCAA partner with key industry stakeholders, including college conference offices and NFL and club administrators, to shape programming content. Read more about how the NFL/NCAA Administrators Academy is providing a pathway to opportunities for young professionals.
Why participate?
- Develop leadership and management capabilities essential for advancing in football administration
- Gain direct exposure to senior leaders across the NFL, conference offices and campus athletics
- Receive personalized mentorship from experienced NFL and collegiate leaders to accelerate long-term career growth
- Expand your professional network and access real connections that support future career opportunities
Program overview
The programming experience is delivered in two phases:
- Educational and leadership sessions led by sports business professionals and industry experts
- A mentorship experience pairing participants with a mentor from the sports business industry for five months
Phase I – educational and leadership session topics
Educational sessions focus on key topics that support personal and professional growth for selected learners. Guided sessions may include:
- Strategic thinking – exploring how to generate new ideas, translate them into action and consider the impact across departments
- Effective communication – strengthening skills for presentations, email, meetings and other high-visibility responsibilities as leaders advance in their careers
- Influence and negotiation – learning how to build credibility, influence outcomes and resolve disagreements by finding common ground
Phase II – mentorship program overview
At the conclusion of the in-person program, learners are paired with a mentor from the sports business industry, either in the NFL or college sports. The NFL and NCAA coordinate a five-month experience that fosters both professional and personal development through consistent and structured connections. The goal is to expose the next generation of young professionals to prominent leaders in the sports business industry.
Who is eligible?
Learners must be a current intern, graduate assistant or in the first two years of full-time employment within an athletics department at an NCAA member school, conference office, affiliate organization or the NCAA national office. Individuals must have completed a bachelor’s degree to be eligible to apply for the NFL/NCAA Administrators Academy. Applicants should have a strong desire to work in football administration at the collegiate or professional level.
Strong applicants typically demonstrate a clear commitment to football administration, growing leadership experience and the ability to contribute meaningfully to the future of the industry.
Cost
The NFL/NCAA Administrators Academy is offered at no cost to selected learners. The NCAA covers costs associated with travel, lodging, meals and program materials for the in-person meeting.
Application questions and scoring
Selection is based on responses to application questions. Applications are scored on a 60-point scale across the categories below. Use these prompts to prepare strong, reflective responses that demonstrate your readiness for the program.
Note: The required supervisor recommendation letter is not part of the 60-point scoring rubric but must be included for an application to be considered complete.
Applications are evaluated using the following categories and point values (60 points total):
Category 1: Commitment (15 points)
Question: Why do you want to be a part of this program?
- Explain your motivations for taking part in the NFL/NCAA Administrators Academy
- Describe the impact you hope to have by participating
- Share what you hope to gain from the experience
- Connect how developing your skills through this program will benefit you as a professional
Category 2: Leadership challenge (15 points)
Question: Describe a leadership challenge you have had and the skills you used to overcome it.
- Explain why the situation was a leadership challenge
- Use specific examples to describe the skills and strategies you applied
- Highlight what you learned that will inform your future leadership approach
Category 3: Leadership and willingness to learn (30 points)
Question 3: What are your personal and professional goals and why?
- Describe your short- and long-term personal and professional goals
- Explain why these goals are important to you
- Show how your goals align with the purpose of this program
Question 4: What type of role would you like to have within the NFL and/or football administration? Please explain why.
- Identify the type of role you aspire to hold in the NFL and/or football administration
- Highlight skills or traits you possess that align with that role
- Use specific details to describe why you want the role and what it entails
