In his three years as a head football coach, Brian Doll quickly turned Elk Grove into a premier football program with three playoff trips in three seasons, a 24-9 record and last season’s Mid-Suburban East title and run to the Class 7A quarterfinals. After accepting a job with The Specialized Marketing Group, Inc. (TSMGI) last May, Doll is now looking to turn football into a premier sport in Europe.

Q: What is your official job title?

BD: My official job title is Commercial Director for TSMGI. Our agency runs the lead sponsorship for Manchester United, and I am now the director for the National Football League-United Kingdom (NFL UK) program for our clients.

Q: What exactly do you do?

BD: I work with sponsors for the NFL UK program. I organize and lead their marketing activation. For example, I run youth football clinics with former NFL players and coaches. I also organize large events for these sponsors and their employees alongside the NFL.

Q: What’s a normal day like for you?

BD: It can be considered a roller coaster ride. During the week of the game in London at Wembley stadium I was working 14-16 hour days, similar to like being in the high school football playoffs. That isn’t always the case, but around large events, everything gets a little crazy. With the Patriots and Rams in town, I was constantly working to help our sponsors.

However most days I have two to three hours of conference calls with sponsors, the NFL, prospective clients and my team. The rest of the day is spent organizing events and brainstorming new ideas.

Probably the biggest difference is all the lunch and dinner meetings I now go to with some very interesting people. I am excited to attend a dinner in December with the Commissioner of the NFL Rodger Goodell.

Q: What’s the most exciting thing you have done as an NFL ambassador?

BD: I was able to run an event for Aon in London where we had former NFL Players and former Manchester United players on site to talk about the differences between American Football and English Football. I also was able to meet with the Jacksonville Jaguars Owner Shad Khan and speak to him about his plans for International growth of the NFL.

Q: Who’s the coolest person you’ve met since you started your new job?

BD: It’s a toss up between Marshall Faulk a former running back of the St. Louis Rams or Phil Simms who was a Super Bowl QB for the New York Giants and currently a sports announcer on TV. Both were just really great people to meet and very personable.

Q: What’s the next “big thing” you’re working on?

BD: Running youth clinics in London around super bowl weekend with Former NFL players, while also hosting a super bowl event for NFL fans.

Q: What’s the biggest difference about living in London and living in Chicago?

BD: Currently, I spend a lot of time between the two cities, but the biggest difference is cost [of living]. For example, a burrito in London will cost you about $15. However the food in London is really better than I thought.

Q: Do you see yourself coming back to the states anytime soon?

BD: I am not 100 percent sure, as my job is constantly adjusting to new sports sponsorships. London is a focus for the NFL and we have seen great growth this past year, and look forward to two games their next season as the Vikings and Steelers play, and also the Jaguars and 49ers.

Q: What do you miss most about being at Elk Grove?

BD: I miss a little bit of everything, the students, players, coaches and teachers all in different ways. I miss the young men on the football team and the coaching staff the most as we were able to build something very special together. I also miss going out to lunch with coach [Rob] Pomozak, coach [Keith] Kura and coach [Anthony] Furman almost every day.

Q: Is there anything else you want to add?

BD: It has been a great experience and very exciting. I continue to follow Elk Grove closely, and I look forward to catching Coach Furman and the boys basketball team for a game in the month of December while I am back in Chicago for the holidays.

By: Patricia Murray