Event Outreach - "NFL and the military event outreach"
Each year the NFL is afforded the unique opportunity to showcase the league's commitment to the military through its special events. With its widely captivated fan base, the league teams with its military support partners to create moments of joint recognition throughout the season. The NFL is proud of its long lasting and historic ties to the military and looks to incorporate those relationships into all big moments on the NFL calendar.
NFL Draft
The NFL has made it an annual tradition to bring military outreach to its marquee off-season event. This year, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. IAN BOWLING kicked off the 2016 NFL Draft by performing the National Anthem inside the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University along with the Army's 85th Support Command Color Guard. Also, on stage in the theatre were service members from each branch of service. Over the course of the three-day NFL Draft event, more than 90 service members were recognized, including five NFL-Tillman Scholars from the Pat Tillman Foundation. The rousing ovations from a packed Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University have become among the most inspiring moments of the Draft, as these tributes enable fans from all 32 teams to come together and unite for a true Salute to Service.
Super Bowl
For decades the NFL and the military have had a close relationship at the Super Bowl, the most watched program year-to-year throughout the United States. In front of millions of viewers, the NFL salutes the military with a unique array of in-game celebrations including the presentation of colors, on-field guests, pre-game ceremonies and stadium flyovers.
During Super Bowl 50 week, the NFL, USAA and the USO joined forces by inviting active duty service members and their families to a Military Appreciation breakfast held at the USAA 'Military Lounge' within NFL Experience – an exclusive area for current and former military members and their families to enjoy complimentary food and beverage, games, player meet and greets, and more. The Military Appreciation breakfast featured appearances by Oakland Raiders players JON CONDO and LEE SMITH, San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle QUINTON DIAL and former San Francisco 49er LARRY GRANT. The four players signed autographs, posed for photos and thanked service members for their commitment. "It's an honor to live in such a great country where you guys can go out there and sacrifice your lives to give us the freedom to do what we do," Condo told the service members in attendance.
The NFL and USAA also recognized Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Vincent Jackson as the 2015 Salute to Service Award winner, at the "5th Annual NFL Honors," an awards show celebrating the best plays and players from the 2015 season. Created in 2011, the Salute to Service Award acknowledges members of the NFL Community for their exemplary commitment to honoring and supporting the military community and their families.
Pro Bowl
Providing a rich Pro Bowl experience to military personnel and their families is important to the NFL. The NFL annually donates game tickets to service members, presents color guard and pregame flyovers, and arranges for military personnel to participate in pregame ceremonies.
The 2016 Pro Bowl presented by USAA was an extension of the USAA's Official Military Appreciation sponsorship of the NFL, which delivers military appreciation experiences to military, veterans and their families at NFL games, training camps and on military bases throughout the NFL season. USAA and the NFL honored more than 50,000 military men and women in Hawaii with a number of military appreciation initiatives throughout the week of Pro Bowl and donated tickets to the game. The 2016 Pro Bowl Draft presented by USAA took place at Wheeler Army Airfield with representatives from all military branches in attendance. NFL Community Blitz events were hosted at Schofield Barracks and Wheeler Army Airfield and Pro Bowl players interacted with service members and toured military aircrafts on the base. Additionally, Pro Bowl players and NFL Legends had the chance to serve as "Marine for a Day" and hosted 50 military guests and wounded warriors at an official Pro Bowl team practice.
