The PGA Tour employs NFL executive vice president Brian Lollup as CEO and to work with Commissioner Jay Monaghan.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Seth Wickersham, Rolapp agreed to quit his role in the NFL after 22 years in the league. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell sent a note to team executives and the president on Thursday to inform Lolap that he was leaving.
The PGA Tour declined to comment when ESPN reached Thursday, but a policy committee meeting is scheduled for Monday when Lolap’s employment can be confirmed, a source told ESPN.
The PGA Tour has been looking for a CEO since December. NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps and TaylorMade golf CEO David Abeles were also linked to the positions.
Sources told ESPN that Lolap was the chief media and business officer, the head architect of the NFL media and business playbook at a time when the league’s growth exploded. He is considered a potential successor to Goodell, and leaving to help lead another professional sports circuit is not expected to hamper his chances if Goodell stepped in in the future, sources said.
Rolapp has been in his position since 2017, previously working as the NFL chief operating officer and senior vice president of media strategy and digital media. He also worked as CEO of NFL Networks and Executive Vice President of NFL Media.
In his current role, Rolapp oversees advertising sales, sponsorships and television contracts.
Monaghan replaced Tim Finchem with PGA Tour Commissioner in January 2017, becoming the fourth to play the role. He was strongly criticized by tour golfers and others when the circuit secretly reached the framework agreement in June 2023, with an alliance between the Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and the DP World Tour.
PIF has funded rival LIV Golf Leagues for the past four years. He invited several PGA Tour stars, including past major champions Bryceson Deccanbaugh, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson and John Lahm, to guarantee over $100 million contracts.
Since the framework agreement expired at the end of 2023, the side has been trying to negotiate a deal. They last met at the White House in February.
Monaghan helped the Tour reach a potential $3 billion deal with Strategic Sports Group, a consortium of billionaires sports team owners, and invested in PGA Tour Enterprises, a for-profit company on the circuit.
The SSG, led by Fenway Sports Group, made an initial investment of $1.5 billion, with another $1.5 billion potential. The PGA Tour manages a commercial company that issued shares to golfers who remained loyal to the tour.
Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, directors of PGA Tour players Tiger Woods and Adam Scott, and retired Monaghan, were part of the committee that selected Lolap as the new CEO.
