Who is Brian Rolapp? The NFL media architect set to lead the PGA Tour’s future

Brian Rolapp steps in as Chief Executive Officer of the PGA Tour this summer, taking charge of both PGA Tour, Inc. and PGA Tour Enterprises while Commissioner Jay Monahan prepares to leave in 2026.

The move places Brian Rolapp at the center of professional golf’s next growth phase.

Brian Rolapp spent 22 years turning National Football League media rights into multi-billion-dollar deals

Brian Rolapp joined the National Football League in 2003 and rose to Chief Media and Business Officer. He managed broadcast and digital rights, NFL Network, NFL Films, sponsorships, consumer products, and the league’s venture arm, 32 Equity. Under his watch, the National Football League struck record agreements with CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN / ABC, Amazon, Netflix, and YouTube, then launched the subscriber service NFL +.

Those negotiations cemented Brian Rolapp as one of the most influential media executives in American sports.

Early life of Brian Rolapp includes Brigham Young University lacrosse and a Harvard Business School MBA

Raised near Washington, D.C., Brian Rolapp earned an English degree at Brigham Young University, where he played on the lacrosse team. A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he later completed his Master of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. He now serves on the National Advisory Council at Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Business.

Tiger Woods, Arthur Blank and Adam Scott led a search committee that selected Brian Rolapp for the new role

A six-person committee appointed by PGA Tour Enterprises chose Brian Rolapp. Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank chaired the group, joined by Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, Jay Monahan, Joe Gorder, and Sam Kennedy. Blank said, “Having worked with Brian during our time in the NFL, I have seen firsthand his ability to lead with vision and collaboration, and to deliver results.” Tiger Woods added,

“Brian’s appointment is a win for players and fans.

He has a clear respect for the game and our players and brings a fresh perspective from his experience in the NFL.”

Jay Monahan will stay until 2026 then hand full authority to Brian Rolapp

Jay Monahan stated last year that he would step down after a decade as commissioner. “A year ago, I informed our Boards that upon completing a decade as commissioner, I would step down from my role at the end of 2026,” he said. The transition plan keeps him on the PGA Tour Policy Board and the PGA Tour Enterprises Board while Brian Rolapp assumes daily operations.

Brian Rolapp must broker peace with LIV Golf and renegotiate media contracts that expire in 2030

Professional golf remains divided. The framework agreement announced on 6 June 2023 between the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, backer of LIV Golf, has not produced a final deal. Brian Rolapp will lead those talks alongside LIV Golf Chief Executive Officer Scott O’Neil, his former classmate at Harvard Business School. He also inherits the task of renewing the PGA Tour’s media rights before the current contracts end in 2030.

Brian Rolapp outlines his vision to strengthen commercial partnerships and fan engagement

“I’m honored to join the PGA Tour at such a pivotal time,” Brian Rolapp said in the announcement. “The PGA Tour represents the highest level of competition, integrity and global opportunity in the game of golf, and I believe deeply in the Tour’s mission and its potential to grow even stronger.” He pledged to focus on product quality, player opportunities, and stronger commercial relationships that reach new audiences worldwide.Brian Rolapp now shifts from American football to global golf, carrying two decades of media success to a sport looking for unity and expansion.