Christine Dorfler: From Army Captain to the NFL’s CFO

What does it take to manage the finances of the world’s most powerful sports league? In this episode, Maria sits down with Christine Dorfler, the CFO of the NFL, for an unfiltered look at the business behind the game.

From her journey as an Army Captain to navigating the complex financial landscape of the NFL, Christine shares the leadership lessons and high-stakes decision-making that keep the league growing. We dive into the "Billion-Dollar" choices that impact everything from international expansion to the game-day experience. And of course ‘The Taylor Swift Effect.’

All that and more on this episode of Pretty Tough.

Pretty Tough is produced in partnership with VOX MEDIA.

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• 00:00:00 – The Power of Confidence and Humility

• 00:02:00 – Learning to Lose: Lessons from Sports

• 00:03:45 – Leadership Lessons from the Army

• 00:06:00 – Taking a Big Promotion During Maternity Leave

• 00:09:40 – The Art of Saying "No" in Finance

• 00:10:45 – Moving into the Sports Industry

• 00:12:30 – Advice for Young, Ambitious Professionals

• 00:14:30 – Transitioning to the NFL

• 00:15:30 – Roger Goodell’s Leadership Style

• 00:18:00 – The "Taylor Swift Effect" on NFL Viewership

• 00:20:45 – Growing Girls’ Flag Football

• 00:22:45 – Mastering the Art of Negotiation

• 00:24:45 – Reflecting on the NFL-ESPN Media Deal

• 00:29:45 – Sports Betting and Protecting Game Integrity

• 00:33:45 – Global Expansion and New International Markets

• 00:38:15 – Evolving Fan Consumption Habits

• 00:41:00 – Lightning Round: Routine, Perfection, and Resilience

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