You may have noticed all the changes around Cincinnati Bengals.
New uniforms will be unveiled. More fan involvement on social media. Pictures leaked from a ring of honor. Exciting awards for season ticket holders. A team vision statement that is friendly and reflects the aspirations of the fans. A stronger connection with the community.
All of this can be largely attributed to Elizabeth “Burnie” Blackburn, Mike Brown’s granddaughter and the club’s Director of Strategy and Engagement.
She is young, smart and look … she worries about winning! She is a super fan of Bengals who made her name leave the franchise and came back because she was really qualified, not nepotism. And she returned to Cincinnati with the purpose of bringing her family’s franchise into the 21st century.
So far, she has done a great job.
Bengals now has one of the strongest social media presence of all NFL teams. That’s just two years after they had the Who Dey mascot riding a scooter to reveal the schedule.
The team also went from owner Mike Brown telling players not to kneel to take a stand on social justice, uniting – including Mike Brown – in front of the National Underground Railroad Museum to read a powerful statement. The team – led by Elizabeth – then decided to work alongside BlaCk OWned, a Cincinnati-based clothing company that supports black businesses in creating personalized Bengal clothing.
Before joining the front line, Elizabeth, called “Burnie” by co-workers, was known as an analytical “ball of energy” that defended Bengals players and the city of Cincinnati with gusto. In Dartmouth, she majored twice in Economics and Engineering, producing research that evaluates the economic tradeoffs of the 85 percent blackout rule versus secondary price market (Economics) and an app that teaches fans the rules of the game (Engineering) . She then worked in the NFL office with the salary cap and then made her name in collective bargaining.
In other words, Elizabeth, who is only 28, has the intelligence and knowledge to do more than just get us excited about watching our favorite team. She is what the franchise needed most. She is the future. She is the chosen one.
In short, it’s time to feel the burn.
Former Saturday Night Live cast member and big Bengals fan, Luke Null, joined John Sheeran and me to talk about Elizabeth. You can watch it below:
You can also listen on iTunes or using the player below.