The Arena Football League (AFL) has announced the appointment of Tracey Leinen to the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO), where she will be in charge of planning and carrying out the AFL’s strategic business and expansion activities.
Leinen offers a plethora of expertise to the AFL after working with the National Football League (NFL) for ten years as a team logistics consultant. She assisted NFL Draft logistics in Philadelphia, helped carry out NFL Alumni Relations during Super Bowl LVII, and oversaw operations and travel logistics between the NFL and teams headed for the big game.
“I’m honored to bring my expertise to the Arena Football League,” Leinen said. “I look forward to working directly with Commissioner Lee Hutton, Team Owners, and Team Personnel to rebuild a successful league and provide a true fan experience on and off the field.”
In addition, she established TEAM Management, a sports and entertainment marketing firm that aids a variety of athletes, celebrities, and brands in developing their plans for initiatives, goals, and strategic goals. The company successfully planned the NFL Travel Directors meetings and manages the logistics of celebrity events for customers like TV personality and celebrity chef Chef Eddie G.
Leinen worked as the Philadelphia Eagles’ Director of Travel Operations for 15 years prior to starting her own business. In that role, she oversaw all team operations, organized free agent and draft prospect visits, and negotiated contracts to efficiently manage the travel budget. Most notably, she carried out the franchise’s logistical requirements for Super Bowl XXXIX successfully.
“Tracey’s extensive background in spearheading operations at the highest level in sports makes her a critical addition to our executive leadership,” Hutton said. “The new era of the AFL is committed to building the best and most diverse professional sports league and the process starts with the delicate task of hand-picking talented leaders like Tracey that can enable us to take the AFL to heights beyond our imagination. The focused and meticulous detail that is taking place to bring together a talented group of executives will only serve to sustain this great sport and forever distinguish The New AFL from the pastiche of other indoor football leagues.”
In addition to her job, Leinen has over ten years of experience as a seasoned non-profit development leader who has built and transformed social change organizations. She also founded The Griffin Gives Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization that supports both active-duty and retired military troops, fosters children’s health and wellness, and encourages people with life-altering illnesses. The Griffin Gives Foundation created the One Hope Ribbon in 2022 to promote unity among those in need and increase awareness of all causes.
For more information about the AFL, please visit www.theafl.com and follow @OfficialAFL on Instagram and @OfficialAFL on Twitter.
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