Yesterday, senior leaders from nine of the world’s major professional sports leagues met on the campus of New York University for an unprecedented industry summit organized by the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYUSPS) Tisch Institute for Sports Management, Media, and Business. The meeting focused on the present state and future direction of the Social Responsibility of Sports (SRS). Represented leagues included the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), Major League Baseball (MLB), Major League Soccer (MLS), the National Association for Stock Car Racing (NASCAR), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), the National Hockey League (NHL), the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour, and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).
Commissioners and senior executives in attendance included MLB Commissioner Rob D. Manfred, Jr.; MLS Commissioner Don Garber; NASCAR Chairman Brian France; NBA Commissioner Adam Silver; and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, along with a number of deputy commissioners and other top-level leaders. Their presence followed an independent research initiative by the NYUSPS Tisch Institute, which invited league engagement to better understand how sports organizations approach social responsibility and community impact.
The summit, facilitated by faculty from the NYUSPS Tisch Institute for Sports Management, Media, and Business, created a forum for exchanging ideas and aligning priorities. The goal of the meeting was to help the leagues articulate a clear set of best practices for social responsibility in sports. Ultimately, the Tisch Institute seeks to provide professional sports leagues with research, tools, and evaluative frameworks that enable them to design and measure social responsibility programs more effectively—thereby increasing their positive influence on communities.
“We are grateful for the leagues’ open cooperation and encouragement throughout this initial research phase,” said Arthur R. Miller, associate dean of the NYUSPS Tisch Institute for Sports Management, Media, and Business. “With the information we have acquired, we hope to help them move forward in a constructive way in using Social Responsibility of Sports as a game changer for the industry.”
The private morning summit was followed by a public afternoon conference titled “Social Responsibility in Sports: Where Doing Good and Doing Good Business Meet.” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver delivered the keynote address during the public session, which featured panels and conversations that explored how leagues, teams, and individual leaders can integrate social responsibility into operations, partnerships, and long-term strategy. For more information about the Tisch Institute’s SRS work, see sps.nyu.edu/tischinstitute/srs
All Photo Credits: © NYUSPS/Mark McQueen
How Will Team Executives Lead the Social Responsibility of Sports?
A highlighted panel at the conference gathered prominent team executives and influencers to discuss practical leadership and implementation. Panelists included Brian Kilmeade, co-host of FOX & Friends, who moderated the session; Marc De Grandpre, General Manager of the New York Red Bulls; Wyc Grousbeck, Managing Partner, Governor, CEO, and Co-Owner of the Boston Celtics; Sam Kennedy, President of the Boston Red Sox; Tanya Mruck, Director of Operations at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment; and Stephen M. Ross, Chairman of the Board and Managing Partner of the Miami Dolphins. The discussion focused on how team leaders can prioritize community engagement, structure meaningful programs, and measure social outcomes without compromising competitive and commercial goals.
Public Policy: When Do Sports Leagues, Teams, and Organizations Get Involved?
Another panel addressed the intersection of sports, public policy, and civic leadership, exploring when and how leagues and teams should engage on policy issues that affect communities, fans, and athletes. This session featured Arthur R. Miller, CBE, Associate Dean and Director of the NYUSPS Tisch Institute for Sports Management, Media, and Business and Founder and Chairman of NYU School of Professional Studies Sports and Society as moderator; Val Ackerman, JD, Commissioner of The BIG EAST Conference; John Sexton, PhD, JD, President Emeritus of New York University; Brian Ellner, JD, Executive Vice President and Group Head of Public Affairs, New York, at Edelman; Domonique Foxworth, former president of the National Football League Players Association; Pat LaFontaine, Vice President for Development and Community Affairs for the NHL and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee; and Charles Baker, JD, Partner at DLA Piper (US). Panelists examined the appropriate role of sports organizations in policy debates, the risks and responsibilities of public engagement, and strategies for ensuring that advocacy aligns with institutional values and community needs.
By convening commissioners, team executives, policy experts, and academics, the NYUSPS Tisch Institute’s summit created a rare opportunity for sustained dialogue across the industry about purpose-driven leadership. Participants emphasized the need for consistent measurement of social programs, stronger partnerships with community organizations, and clearer guidance on navigating public policy issues. The conversations at NYU are intended to inform future research and the development of practical tools that leagues and teams can use to maximize their social impact while sustaining their competitive and commercial objectives.
The summit marks an important step toward a more unified and research-based approach to Social Responsibility of Sports, signaling a growing commitment among professional leagues to deepen their community impact, increase transparency around outcomes, and share best practices across organizations.