Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 2-5-21

Feature
58% Of Businesses Accepted In Super Bowl Business Connect Identify As ‘Minority-Owned’
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BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
The National Football League’s (NFL) Super Bowl will be in Tampa following the 2020 season. The big game will be at Raymond James Stadium featur- ing the hometowm Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Whenever huge events like the Super Bowl come to town, those in the African American community want to know the im- pact of these events on the Black community: how many dollars will go into the Black community; what was the process to get there?
We reached out to Ms. LaK- endria Robinson, Director of Business Connect of the Super Bowl LV Host Committee.
“The Business Connect pro- gram is a partnership program be- tween the NFL and the Super Bowl LV Host Committee and fo-
cuses on proactively connecting local, diverse businesses to special event-related contract opportuni- ties for the Super Bowl.”
The Business Connect Pro- gram does more, she added. “In addition to contracting opportu- nities, the Business Connect pro- gram offers networking, educational and business devel- opment opportunities to encour- age greater business success for each participant post Super Bowl.”
“As a direct result of COVID- 19, the team has been able to in- crease virtual professional development and networking op- portunities that address relevant challenges the companies have faced during this unprecedented time.”
Ms. Robinson provided the names of 3 African American businesses that have received con- tracts through Business Connect. They are Tampa 2 Security,
MS. LAKENDRIA ROBINSON ...Director, Business Connect and Community Outreach, Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee
Sol Davis Printing; and Cre- ative 114. She added, “While there are additional Black-owned businesses that have received con- tract opportunities through Busi- ness Connect, we are unable to provide you with the names of
those businesses who have re- ceived contracts from the NFL, Host Committee, or other event producers. That is proprietary in- formation of the NFL. However, we can share with you that 58% of the businesses accepted into the Super Bowl Business Connect program in Tampa are companies that identify themselves as minor- ity- owned.”
Several events that were planned will no longer be held due to overall decrease in spending brought on by issues related to COVID safety. There will only be 22,000 folks in the stadium on gameday, and 7,500 of those are healthcare providers.
Over the 15-month planning period, the NFL Host Committee and the NFL Business Connect brought in speakers, pro- vided workshops and hosted net- working events that introduced business strategies to Business Connect member companies.
“As an example, we intro- duced a new program through Business Connect called “Road to Gameday” Restaurant Week which took place in December 2020. The program highlighted nearly 40 diverse owned restau- rants across Tampa Bay, provid- ing additional exposure and successfully drove new business to local diverse restaurants. A Black-owned public relations firm was hired to handle the promo- tion of the initiative.”
Since contracting is ongoing, Ms. Robinson was not able to give a total on the goods and/or services contracts that are out. “Reporting is due back from ven- dors 45 days after the game. Upon completion of the reporting, we plan to share an overview of the
results of Business Connect, she said.
Forever 55 is the Host Com- mittee’s social legacy initiatives that focuses on six strategic pil- lars: Early Childhood Education, Food Insecurity, Families, Health and Wellness, Sustainability, and Systemic Justice. Each of the six pillars includes initiatives that focus on underserved popula- tions, need based families, Title I schools, and/or minority youth/participants.
“The Host Committee also awarded $280,000 to 28 local nonprofits through its microgrant program. The microgrants allow us to expand our reach and finan- cial support to additional non- profits and programs in our community that align with our 6 pillars.
“While we don’t share our exact budget line-item amounts since hosting the Super Bowl is a competitive process against other cities throughout the country and we want to protect proprietary in- formation to maintain a competi- tive advantage, we do not spend dollars on local advertising medi- ums. Any media inventory that is utilized to promote Super Bowl lo- cally has been contributed by local media companies.”
Finally, “We do not know what the projected spend will be or how many contracts will be awarded to any Business Connect vendors. COVID-19 business dis- ruptions have not only impacted Super Bowl procurement, but has challenged the landscape of local diverse business in Tampa. We will not know until sometime after March the impact the pandemic has had on procurement related to Super Bowl.”
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