October 30, 2008

Established in 1984, the nine-member NFLPA Retired Players Steering Committee serves as the advisory body for former NFL players. At the annual Retired Players Convention a committee is elected, and members serve three-year terms. Each member of the NFLPA Retired Players Steering Committee will be profiled as a part of a nine-week series.

Former NFL cornerback and NFLPA Retired Players Charlotte Chapter President Leonard Wheeler is one of three recently elected members of the NFLPA Retired Players Steering Committee. Wheeler graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Troy State University and currently runs Wheeler Enterprises, Inc., where he works as a personal and corporate coach.

Urban Champions: Professional Athletes Reinvesting in Inner Cities

The buzzer sounded (literally) and the panel got underway. How can athletes transition from sport to business? Where should this transition begin? How does urban culture change the perception of athletes?

The spectator sports industry has grown twice as fast as the U.S. economy as a whole. Television has created an immediate medium connecting fans to athletes. Employment growth in the industry has shot past average U.S. growth even as it has shifted to specialized channels. "Imagine if there were an A-Rod Network," mused moderator Larry Carroll of KFWB.