Three retired NFL players bring together the NFL Alumni Association, VEEPIO, and FanReach, in a new mobile technology project that makes it possible for community organizations, businesses, and sports fans, to instantly connect with the 30,000 retired members of the NFLA.

The NFLA has taken charge by reaching their youth and appointing Najee Goode, a recently retired NFL player, to their board and lead a new wave of digital technology and strategic marketing. He has agreed to work with the FanReach mobile platform team, spearheaded by two former NFL players Brian Jones and Kenyon Rasheed, to provide communication, support, and new opportunities, for the 30,000 strong retired NFL player organization known as the NFLA. Joining this new squad is the VEEPIO agency, a partner that brings exciting engagement technology to the project. Since 1967 the NFLA has been providing philanthropy and guidance to former professional football players. With this agreement, the NFLA throws a strong pass forward, putting the power of mobile technology into the hands of this vibrant and talented group of former athletes to easily connect with each other, their fan base, as well as relevant businesses and communities.

Key Details: 

• Retired NFL athletes (and their fans) leaving the sport today are “mobile-first” technology users. 

• The NFL ALL 33 Mobile app will be the Go-To Place for retired players and sponsors to engage with each other; work together on ideas, create content, and make their knowledge of the game beneficial to a wide audience. Sports fans will also find the NFL ALL 33 app contains creative ways to interact with their favorite players. 

• Retired players will be able to leverage the powerful tools in the FanReach platform, currently used by 10 NFL teams, to amplify their personal brand.
• The App will provide opportunities for retired players to guest-curate NFLA interactive VEEPIO enabled content in coordination with local NFLA Chapter Presidents.
• This technology will ensure that retired players stay connected to the culture of football while taking their next steps in life off the field.

“We are looking forward to bringing our members powerful tools to help promote the culture of NFL Football. Our goal is to help bridge the gap between the past and the present by supporting all NFL Alumni in their endeavors by generating new revenue opportunities.  We will lay the foundation for large corporate sponsors and brands to promote and amplify the connection to their community and fan base. I want all the players to know the NFLA is now VEEPIO enabled and empowered with the same technology as the owners,” stated Najee Goode, Director of Digital Technology and Strategic Marketing for the NFLA.

The plans the NFLA and FanReach have for this new project will be a game-changer for retired NFL football players. Lead by former pro ball players Kenyon Rasheed and Brian Jones with FanReach, as well as Najee Goode of the NFLA, and Jonathan Ohliger, CEO of VEEPIO, the leadership team is well aware of both the opportunities, and the needs, that technology can provide to retired athletes, and the businesses and community leaders who want to work with them.

Brian Jones had this to say, “You look at the NFL Alumni Association and all the good they do. They’re set up as a 501(c)3 encompassing various chapters around the nation. The NFLA does numerous great things within their respective communities- such as fundraisers, that benefit charities in those respective locales. When all NFLA members are equipped with our new app, retired players will easily be able to connect with each other to plan these events, share sponsorship opportunities, alert each other to myriad business dealings, and much more.”

“When you look at the FanReach mobile suite and all the things they deliver to their NFL clients, when you juxtapose that with the NFLA essentially we’re still a team, said Kenyon Rasheed. “The FanReach platform will be the locker room for the team of retired players. This is where we want guys to amass and take part in all the different resources that are available via the NFLA. NFL teams are moving beyond that eight games a year saying ‘How can we engage fans 365 days a year, 24/7?’ We have a lot of expertise within the pro sports community to provide to fans. Until now, we just have never had a platform to connect with organizations, as well as each other, in a timely way. Sponsors and fans have always had to go to the NFL or go to a football team to reach us former players. Thanks to technology’s advancement, thanks to social media tools, thanks to apps and companies like FanReach, players can now better control their own destiny.”

“When I think about what Najee is attempting to build, I am in awe,” said Jonathan Ohliger, CEO of VEEPIO. “Most players miss the little things when they retire. Little things like having a catch before practice, hanging out in the locker room, or sharing a meal together. It’s the authentic bite size meaningful interactions behind the scenes with personalities you simply don’t encounter on the outside that you truly miss. Najee is giving all players a place to gather again in a digital world, a digital clubhouse for former players to interact with the community of football and with fans, giving them tools to connect and maintain strong relationships forever.”

Gabriel Smallman, President of FanReach said, “We see that the NFL Alumni association needs a great communication and connections tool just like the rest of our sports teams. All of the technology and vendor partnerships we have in our tool belt will help the NFLA membership take advantage of today’s sponsorship, social, and community-based opportunities by providing an easy-to-use, best-in-class communication platform that lives in an app, right on their phones. We want to give former NFL players an easy, slick way to continue to benefit from their talents long into the future.”

To learn more about the NFLA project, listen to Kenyon Rasheed and Brian Jones talk about the opportunities for players, sponsors, and football fans, in our podcast.