Pretty Tough with Maria Sharapova

Christine Dorfler: From Army Captain to the NFL’s CFO

Pretty Tough with Maria Sharapova

Show Notes

What does it take to manage the finances of the world’s most powerful sports league? In this episode, Maria sits down with Christine Dorfler, the CFO of the NFL, for an unfiltered look at the business behind the game.

From her journey as an Army Captain to navigating the complex financial landscape of the NFL, Christine shares the leadership lessons and high-stakes decision-making that keep the league growing. We dive into the "Billion-Dollar" choices that impact everything from international expansion to the game-day experience. And of course ‘The Taylor Swift Effect.’

All that and more on this episode of Pretty Tough.

Pretty Tough is produced in partnership with VOX MEDIA.

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00:00:00 – The Power of Confidence and Humility

00:02:00 – Learning to Lose: Lessons from Sports

00:03:45 – Leadership Lessons from the Army

00:06:00 – Taking a Big Promotion During Maternity Leave

00:09:40 – The Art of Saying "No" in Finance

00:10:45 – Moving into the Sports Industry

00:12:30 – Advice for Young, Ambitious Professionals

00:14:30 – Transitioning to the NFL

00:15:30 – Roger Goodell’s Leadership Style

00:18:00 – The "Taylor Swift Effect" on NFL Viewership

00:20:45 – Growing Girls’ Flag Football

00:22:45 – Mastering the Art of Negotiation

00:24:45 – Reflecting on the NFL-ESPN Media Deal

00:29:45 – Sports Betting and Protecting Game Integrity

00:33:45 – Global Expansion and New International Markets

00:38:15 – Evolving Fan Consumption Habits

00:41:00 – Lightning Round: Routine, Perfection, and Resilience

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