NFL Players Taking Part in First-Ever "Business of Music Boot Camp"

Official NFL Release

Twenty current and former NFL players will take part in the first-ever Business of Music Boot Camp at New York University's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music in New York, it was announced today.

The program, which runs from February 27-March 1, 2012, is being directed by NFL Player Engagement and the Clive Davis Institute in NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and offers professional training for creative entrepreneurs in the music industry.

The four-day boot camp will feature interactive workshops focusing on all aspects of the music industry including production, artist development and management, digital music, publishing, marketing and touring. Participants will gain a better understanding of establishing a career in the music industry and how to develop business plans from their creative ideas.

"We continue to look for ways to help educate players and develop their skills for post-NFL careers," said NFL Vice President of Player Engagement TROY VINCENT. "This program builds upon the successes of our Business Management & Entrepreneurial program and Broadcast Boot Camp in catering to players' interests in new disciplines."

"NFL players know all about competition which will serve them well as they look into potential careers in the fast-paced music industry," said CLIVE DAVIS, chief creative officer of Sony BMG. The Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU is the first of its kind to provide professional business and artistic training toward a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree for aspiring creative entrepreneurs in the music industry.

Faculty members at the Business of Music Boot Camp will include:

CLIVE DAVIS, chief creative officer of Sony BMG, who has developed top performers including Janis Joplin, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Santana, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, Whitney Houston, and Alicia Keys. He won a Grammy Trustee Award in 2000 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

DANNY STRICK, co-president of Sony/ATV Music Publishing. From pitching the Motown catalogue to rock acts with Jobete Music early in his career to becoming senior vice president and GM of BMG Music, Strick has held a number of influential positions in the publishing industry throughout his career.

JONATHAN DANIEL, a founder and partner at Crush Management, an artist management company that represents acts including Gym Class Heroes, Panic! At the Disco, Train, and Cobra Starship.

SAM HOLLANDER, a songwriter and producer whose work has often appeared in the Top 40 Pop Hits. He has written or produced for artists including Gym Class Heroes, Cobra Starship, Train, and Chiddy Bang.

AL BRANCH, the general manager at Hip Hop Since 1978, a management and production company whose roster boasts major figures Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Young Jeezy.

MICHAEL "BLUE" WILLIAMS, the CEO of Family Tree Entertainment, which recently merged with Primary Wave Music to create Family Tree Primary Wave. His client roster includes Cee Lo Green, Cody Simpson, and Eric Benet, and previous clients include OutKast, Monica and Big Sean.

MICHAEL SOLOMON, co-founder of Musicians on Call--a non-profit organization that brings music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities--as well as the co-founder of Brick Wall Management, whose past and present roster includes artists John Mayer, Citizen Cope, and William Fitzsimmons.

The Business of Music Boot Camp is part of an ongoing NFL Player Engagement initiative to assist players in preparing for their post-playing careers. Since 2005, more than 700 NFL players have participated in the NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program. More than one-third of the 106 players who have taken part in the five NFL Broadcast Boot Camps have earned broadcasting jobs as a result of their participation in the program. In addition, each offseason more than 100 NFL players enroll in college courses as they work towards Master's or Bachelor's degrees while more than 120 pursue career internships.

Player enrollment criteria include previous participation in NFL Player Engagement programs, prior music experience, essays, and NFL playing experience. All costs other than travel are covered by the NFL.