President of Stewart-Haas Racing Brett Frood named new NLL Commissioner
Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado, 2022 NLL Cup Finals (Photo: Jack Dempsey)
The National Lacrosse League has announced the hiring of Brett Frood as the professional league’s new commissioner. Frood leaves his position as President of NASCAR’s Stewart-Haas Racing to take over as professional lacrosse’s new leader. The Harvard Business School graduate also previously played lacrosse for Brown University and was a two-time Ivy League Champion.
Today’s announcement comes several months after Nick Sakiewicz made a mid-season exit as the league’s leader, his second-in-command Jessica Berman leaving her role as deputy commissioner a few weeks later. Sakiewicz was later hired by the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, Berman taking over as commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League.
The NLL confirmed that Frood will officially start on September 1.
Soon after Sportico broke the news of Frood’s hiring, the NLL’s new commish tweeted, “Rarely in sports biz can you combine vocation & avocation.
“Today I start that journey as the new Commissioner of the NLL. Thanks to Tony Stewart & Stewart-Haas Racing for an amazing ride. To the NLL athletes, teams, fans, staff & partners, I can’t wait to attack the future!”
As shared by Sports Business Journal’s Adam Stern, “Frood will move into a consulting role for SHR and his job won't be directly replaced; Brian McKinley becomes SHR Chief Sales Officer, while Greg Zipadelli becomes Chief Competition Officer.”
See the NLL’s official announcement here, plus below check out what many within the lacrosse & racing industry are saying on social media about the addition of Frood to the league’s front office.