New PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp Hires Ex-NFL Executives Amid Revamp

Rolapp, previously the chief media and business officer of the NFL, hired a new chief commercial officer and EVP of strategic communications, as two longtime executives will retire.

New PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp made two notable hires this past week. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

New PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp continues to implement his vision for the circuit. 

This week, that included hiring two ex-executives from the NFL, where Rolapp was previously the chief media and business officer. 

Dhruv Prasad has been hired as the Tour’s new chief commercial officer and Paul Hicks was added as the executive vice president of strategic communications and public policy.

SI Golf Newsletters. Sports Illustrated’s Free Golf Newsletters. dark. Sign Up Now

“Since Day 1, I have been committed to taking the steps necessary to achieve sustainable success for the PGA Tour," Rolapp said in a statement. “During my first 90 days in the role, we have identified opportunities to further integrate our teams and add new capabilities to accelerate our growth—for the benefit of our fans, players and partners. 

“Dhruv and Paul bring specific experience that will complement our existing team and further strengthen key functions within the organization, and Andy and Neera will help further integrate our operations and elevate the Tour in their expanded roles.” 

With those two hires, Andy Weitz shifts to chief marketing officer and Neera Shetty, part of the Tour’s legal team, will now oversee administrative functions on an interim basis. 

As a result of these moves, longtime Tour executives Rick Anderson and Allison Keller will retire at the end of the year, and Len Brown, the chief of global business ventures, will assume a new role as special advisor to Rolapp.

Meanwhile, Prasad served as SVP of business development and strategic investments at the NFL for the last three years. Now, he’ll lead corporate partnerships, along with media business development and broadcasting.

Hicks ​​was with the firm FGS Global for a decade after a stint at the NFL from 2010 to '15 as the EVP of communications and public affairs, the same position he’ll hold with the PGA Tour.

Shortly after beginning his role as CEO, Rolapp touted a “holistic relook” of the Tour at August’s Tour Championship, with the goal being to “design the best professional golf competitive model in the world.”

In doing that, he plans to rely heavily on his success from the NFL. 

“I think a lot of what I learned at the NFL can be applied here,” Rolapp said in August, “and part of it—look, the sports business is not that complicated. You get the product right, you get the right partners, your fans will reward you with their time because they’re telling you it’s good and they want more of it, and then the commercial and the business part will take care of itself.

“Then you just have to constantly innovate. I think if there's anything I learned at the NFL, it’s that. We did not sit still.”