The NFL’s real MVPs? Women. Ella Parlor unpacks the influence the league can’t ignore.
By Ella Parlor
Born on Game Day
I was conceived on Super Bowl Sunday. Don’t ask how I know; that’s a whole other origin story. But it checks out. Because football didn’t just shape my weekends, it has shaped my career.
I grew up on metal bleachers in Southern California, shivering through Friday night lights I didn’t fully understand yet. My uncles were hometown heroes. I didn’t know what a zone blitz was, I didn’t get the rules, but I knew the moment when a stadium held its breath after a deep throw.
That same feeling comes back years later, only I don’t sit on the bleachers anymore; I spend time in boardrooms.
Football isn’t just a game, it’s a business: a ruthless, brilliant, billion-dollar machine. I’m promiscuous with my teams. No single allegiance, shifting loyalties based on storylines, quarterbacks, and who’s driving the most revenue for my brands. You’ll find multiple jerseys in my closet. No shame in my bandwagon game.
I don’t follow football for the box scores. I care about the moves. The trades, the front-office shakeups, the war room decisions that ripple through a city’s entire economy. Some fans memorize player stats; I remember who negotiated the stadium naming rights and which quarterback’s deal includes equity. The business is the game. And watching it unfold is just as thrilling as any goal-line stand.
From Bleachers to Boardrooms
I’ve had access most fans would kill for: tunnel walks, champagne locker rooms, sidelines, private tours. And yes, fumbles happen. I once hugged a Super Bowl MVP confusing him for one of my sales reps. I knew he looked familiar. Whoops.
In this industry, being underestimated is a given, especially if you’re a woman who shows up in lipstick and heels. People assume I’m somebody’s wife. I once got waved toward the WAG section at Mile High before flashing my badge and heading into the executive suite, where I was leading a meeting.
I’ve helped build campaigns that reached millions. I’ve managed millions in sponsorship budgets and helped launch brands that hit seven figures in under a quarter. I can analyze a sports contract faster than most attorneys.
And through it all, I’m still a fan. No, I’m not “one of the boys,” but I’m not a bystander either. I move between the suite and the sideline, between passion and profession. It’s a weird space, but it’s mine.
Mistaken Identity, Major Impact
Do you know who funds football? Women.
Ask most men and they’ll say ticket sales or IP. Wrong. Women are the economic engine of this sport.
According to Fanatics, nearly 45% of NFL merch buyers are women. Nielsen shows we influence 80% of household purchase decisions, including tickets, jerseys, streaming subscriptions, and who’s getting what for Christmas.
And we don’t just buy for ourselves; we outfit the whole damn house: dad, baby, dog. Full family drip.
We’re not casual fans. We’re driving revenue, viewership, and loyalty. The league knows it. Marketing is shifting because it has to. Women are the market.
You don’t need to memorize the 1972 Dolphins roster to call out a garbage play. You don’t need permission to wear a jersey to brunch. And you definitely don’t need to prove your love for the game by playing small.
Sexy, Strategic, and Unstoppable
Bring the smoke. Own what you love about this game, even if it’s just the color palette (shoutout to the Saints).
Football is chaotic, tribal, tactical, and SEXY. So are we.
See you on the field.
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