The Tampa Bay Buccaneers COO talks Bucs business at Argus Foundation luncheon

Brian Ford, chief operating officer of The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, discussed the business of the Bucs last week at a Meet the Minds luncheon held by The Argus Foundation (ArgusFoundation.org), a nonprofit organization dedicated to joining business leaders from diverse industries and leveraging their talents and experience to benefit the community.

During the September 8 luncheon, over 100 people attended to hear Ford discuss the business operations of the hometown National Football League (NFL) franchise and this year’s happenings, including the power of the NFL, exciting new updates to the stadium, community outreach and more.

A native of Miramar, Fla., Ford oversees all aspects of the organization’s day-to-day business operations and community involvement. He works directly with team ownership to ensure that Buccaneers fans, season pass members and corporate sponsors receive a first-in-class experience.

“The NFL is an entertainment industry,” said Ford. “But as with any professional sport, you can be affected by what happens on the field, but we can’t be dependent on it.”

Ford is currently overseeing a comprehensive renovation of Raymond James Stadium that is expected to exceed $140 million. Ford says the franchise has been working hard to enhance the game-day experience for visitors, which includes project screens that are four times larger than the previous screens, larger ribbon boards and additional surround sound speakers for its football fans.

Under Ford’s leadership, the strategy of over promising and attention to customer service appears to be working. The team has consistently earned top ratings among NFL teams for consumer satisfaction by a leading market research firm.

“I’m excited about this season,” said Ford. “In 2015, for the first time in franchise history, the Bucs ranked in the top 5 in total offense.”

He also added about the Bucs quarterback, “Jameis Winston has exceeded our expectations on and off the field – as a leader, a member of our organization and in the community.”

About The Argus Foundation
Established in Sarasota in 1983, The Argus Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to joining business leaders from diverse industries and leveraging their talents and experience to benefit the community. The organization, which seeks to facilitate communications between the public and private sectors, has more than 170 members from 50 different industries. For more information, visit ArgusFoundation.org.

Meant to educate and stimulate, the Meet the Minds luncheons feature informative guest speakers who discuss the important issues impacting the community, state and world.