Around 60 stakeholders, including 20 Heisman Trophy winners, gathered recently over 2 1/2 days at the PGA of America’s headquarters in Frisco, Texas, with what might initially seem like Mission Impossible: making a 91-year-old collegiate sports trophy relevant in an era of NIL riches and portal defections. That was the goal of an expanded group of Heisman Trophy leaders, headed by new CEO Jeff Price and Dan Reed, board chairman of the Heisman as of January.
Changes in store start with the name. Heisman Trophy Trust was deemed somewhat confusing, so the overall name is being truncated to simply “Heisman,” or as Price put it, “the name that carries all the weight.” The group’s philanthropic efforts will now be known as “The Heisman Foundation.”
New programming will include seasonlong “Heisman Hopefuls” content. Heisman winners will henceforth be marketed with a “Heisman Club” campaign, with a focus on content co-creation…