I cannot think of anything more intimidating then driving into an office with the NFL Shield displayed on the welcome sign for the first day of a new internship. Stepping into the facility felt like a dream and the entire orientation day flew by. On my second day I was just as intimidated. I learned quickly, however, that I could use the knowledge I acquired from my time at the UConn School of Business earning a Management degree to my advantage throughout every step of this experience. As a Project Management intern for NFL Films, I use the knowledge I gained through academic experience every day here. I have now been here for about a month, and I am constantly learning how to do new things.The personnel in the Project Management department are seen as the point people for every project that NFL Films takes on. This could be something small such as managing the production of a two-minute highlight video or something large like overseeing the production of a multi-episode series to be played on the NFL Network or ESPN (such as A Football Life or Caught in the Draft).

I have had multiple internships in the area of sports, but this is my first time experiencing what it is like to work for a nationally renowned organization in the sport about which I know the most and have the most passion. NFL Films has been called “the Citizen Kane of sports films” and my experience here has only solidified that label in my mind. We are responsible for bringing the emotions to any football experiences by creating films that have exceptionally high cinematic value. Every employee that works on any given part of the project is hired because they are efficient perfectionists. Our standard is extremely high for all projects, no matter how small. Our founders, the late Ed & Steve Sabol, established NFL Films with a vision to bring emotions back into sports through the production of these films, and I see this passion every day at work.

I think everyone gets nervous in college if they picked the right major. I was especially nervous since I came into UConn completely undecided on what I wanted to do. Having this internship has proven to me that I went in the right direction. I am able to combine my passion of football with my management knowledge gained at UConn in everything I do, and it’s very exciting to experience. Since I manage people in every phase of production—from producers to editors to clients and more—my ability to effectively manage and get along with all sorts of people with different backgrounds has proven to be crucial in my time here. My managers started by teaching me the ropes, and by now I am even taking the lead on managing some projects on my own! It’s very thrilling and I am excited to see what will come of the last few months of my experience as an NFL Films intern.

Hannah Browne ’14
Project Management Intern, NFL Films
Hannah Browne is a UConn School of Business graduate with a degree in Business Management. She has been pursuing a career in the sports industry for several years after she found her passion working for UConn Athletic Marketing. Hannah is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she is the youngest of five children. Every five years, Hannah and her father take their Harley Davidson motorcycle cross-country with Hannah on the back and her dad driving. View Posts