Annie Sullivan / NFL
NFL owners expect two results from the league’s business staff: ever-growing revenue and enterprise valuations, and minimized risk at all times. When confronted with that bifurcated challenge, NFL senior counsel Cyrus Ghavi appreciates his experience in formal debate.
An avid debate team member in high school and college, a young Ghavi participated in 15 to 20 tournaments a year, traveling frequently and fine-tuning his ability to see and argue all sides of an issue. That might naturally lead to a career as a litigator, but Ghavi instead has marshaled those skills in the complex, high-stakes world of NFL policy and corporate work.
“This is an over 100-year-old company, and we’re always looking at our policies fresh, so there’s an intellectual challenge there,” Ghavi said. “How can we figure out how to prepare the league for a world that is constantly changing, and continue to allow the business to grow without putting the fundamentals of ownership of stadiums and teams at risk?”
In recent years, Ghavi has supported stadium projects in Baltimore, Buffalo, Chicago and Tennessee, and played key roles in the sales of both the Broncos and Commanders. With the costs and profits growing so much, it’s forcing the NFL policies to move quickly. Ghavi helped change rules to allow for owners in other sports to buy NFL teams, and is at the table when a creative transaction needs to fit into conservative policy framework.
He said he’s motivated by the challenge and the knowledge that a successful stadium or change in ownership can revitalize an organization and its city.
“As long as it continues to stay interesting and challenging — which it has been, and I see no indication of it stopping — I’d like to think I’d continue working on these, and continue to ride the wave of the changing sports business landscape,” Ghavi said. “There’s so much on the horizon, and how that applies to the areas I work on are fascinating.” — Ben Fischer
Cyrus Ghavi
Senior Counsel, National Football League
Age: 40 (turned 40 this spring)
Born: Atlanta
Education: Emory College, B.A., political science; Cornell Law School, J.D.
Family: Partner, Megan; nieces, Soraya (9) and Leila (2)
What my friends/family think I do all day: Based on game-day texts, I am apparently the final authority for all officiating calls.
How I deal with stress in the workplace: Take a deep breath and look at the big picture to determine what the immediate next step should be.
Causes supported: The New York City Urban Debate League and other debate initiatives.
App I use most: Does the camera app count? I love capturing “only in New York” moments, like a recent shot of two people moving an enormous, green velvet sofa through the subway.
Sports business leaders should be more mindful of … : The power of non-avid fans to catalyze and influence cultural moments and movements. Effective messaging with that group can be as tricky as it can be rewarding.
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