Contracts

When you think of the Super Bowl and business, you probably think of large, well-known companies who sponsor and vie for commercial time during the game. But in recent years, the NFL has been reaching out to SMBs, particularly those owned by women and minorities, and incorporating them into the bidding process for the big game.

The Emerging Business Program, which is coordinated by the host city’s organizers, helps SMB leaders win contracts for the Super Bowl, by providing them with information about the process and opportunities. According to their website, the goals of the program are to:

• Maximize and inform minority- and woman-owned businesses of available business opportunities surrounding the Super Bowl
• Encourage the pursuit of on-going business opportunities within the local community and to further empower vendors in the pursuit of future large scale events
• Provide access to industry leaders for the purposes of business development, education, training, and dialogue
• Provide business development programming that best reflects the needs of the local business community.

The program is win-win for both the NFL and SMB owners. It provides big, experienced contractors who work with the NFL the chance to meet their business needs by utilizing smaller businesses. The NFL puts together a database of SMBs based on information provided by civic groups, government agencies, and the host city’s Super Bowl committee and turns it into a “Business Resource Guide” for the larger contractors, sponsors and other Super Bowl-related groups. And it gives the SMBs an opportunity to make a name for themselves and grow their business like never before.

Tico Casamayor, the president of AC Graphics in Hialeah, Florida, told CNN he landed a contract to print media guides for 2007’s game, “The printing that I do for the game I don’t make much money on. You’re not going to become rich through the contract, but the fact that I do work for the Super Bowl has made it that much easier to get work with others.”

So, how can you get your business involved? Well, you have to act early. The application is generally available online up ten months before the actual game. This year, for the Super Bowl that will take place in South Florida on February 7, the application was available in March 2009 and contracts were being awarded in as early as April 2009. For more information, visit
South Florida Super Bowl.

Looking for a GeoVison Security Camera System to help secure your small or medium business? Call www.CameraSecurityNow.com today at 877-422-1907 for a free phone consultation. Ask about the new Hybrid DVR/NVR surveillance solutions.