• Loading stock data...
Thursday, October 16, 2025

Life as a Signal Caller, The Story of Tessa Robinson-Solley

By: Ghazzal Rezvan, @GhazzalRezvan

Tessa Robinson-Solley, Chief of Staff for the Club Sites Digital Organization at the National Football League.

Front Office Sports is proud to have sat down with Tessa Robinson-Solley. Tessa leads the ad operations team and serves as the Chief of Staff for the Club Sites Digital Organization at the National Football League. In her four-year tenure, she has had the pleasure of collaborating with clubs on digital sales optimization. An energetic leader, Tessa is passionate about employee engagement and cultivating teams who provide outstanding service. Prior to joining the NFL, Tessa managed ad operations organization for Yahoo! and Myspace, where she leveraged technology to empower her teams’ efficiency. While she is a veteran in digital advertising, the NFL is only her second foray into Sports Entertainment. In 2006, she innovated sales operations for FIFAworldcup.com, training international sales teams on the highlights of digital advertising surrounding the event. When not geeking out over invasive ad technologies, Tessa can be found walking the Santa Monica beaches with her husband and beloved rescue dog, Cricket.

How do you establish a work-life balance?

“That’s the one I struggle with, honestly” Tessa admits, “I’m the type of person who thinks work should be a priority over everything else and that is not the recipe for emotional wellbeing or success.” Tessa recommends an activity mentioned in Stephen Covey’s book, The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness, “write down all the different roles you fill and then choose two at a time to focus on and set goals around.” Manager, coworker, employee, sister, mother, friend, daughter and volunteer are only a few of the roles Tessa successfully balances in her everyday schedule. “Understand that you can’t be all things to all people but understand what being a good friend, coworker etc. looks like” she says.

What are some of the biggest challenges of entering the industry?

With more than a decade-worth of experience in the Digital industry, it was easy for Tessa to identify the shortcoming of new entrants: “People aren’t specific enough about what they want, so there’s a lot of noise at the entry level.” She continues saying that just having the vague notion that you want to work in the sports industry is not good enough, “be specific about what you want to do and what you hope to accomplish.” Tessa mentioned how important it is to not approach the industry as a fan and to figure out what going to work everyday in the industry looks like to you: “Does it look like being on the sidelines? Does it look like being in the equipment room? Does it look like being on your computer?” she poses.

What advice do you wish you had received when starting your career?

Tessa’s best advice to people trying to break into the industry is, “to be cautious of whom you are dealing with today because they might be very important tomorrow.” She continues saying “it takes seconds to form a first opinion, minutes to form a friendship, but it takes a split second to have that go the other way and then takes years to repair.” She stresses that this holds true for everyone at the company, no matter the position, because there is always going to be a boss, “even Roger Goodell has to answer to the owners!”

What are the first things industry executives look for in a new hire?

Tessa mentions how higher education is not the only trait executives look for when seeking new employees. “The certificate on the wall is important, but I would prefer to see how somebody learns over that degree” she says. What Tessa looks for in an employee is their potential: “a person who can tell me what they have learned and what makes them excited.” She continues saying how she believes the excitement factor leads to a higher potential employee versus an employee that does everything perfectly.

What are key trends in the industry?

“Digital in general is driving what is happening in sports,” she stresses. Tessa says the reason for this trend is because the way fans consume sports has changed drastically throughout the years “people are used to getting immediate information now and as sports leagues we’re used to putting on a show. So now we’re going to have to put on a different show.” She also mentions the importance of transparency in the industry: “It can’t just be these well-groomed personalities in public and behind closed doors they’re horrible people!”

Parting wisdom?

Tessa’s favorite quote is from the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it!” Tessa states how this quote has driven her throughout her life and has always resonated with her no matter her age, “I have a lot of anxiety about wasting time but knowing sometimes downtime is valuable. Finding that value in every moment is important to me.”

We would like to thank Tessa for her time and insight and we wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors!

You can connect with her on LinkedIn here or follow her on Twitter here!

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Semaj Morgan (0) makes a catch for a first down in the first half against the USC Trojans at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

Michigan Board Publicly Opposes Big Ten Investment Proposal

“The Big Ten does not need to be sold to save college sports.”

NHL Expansion Fee Soars to $2B As League’s Value Surges

The buy-in price for the league will more than triple.
Mar 12, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; General view of ESPN broadcast camera during a game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena.

ESPN’s New NBA Segment Resists Hot Takes

LeBron James tweeted in favor of the new segment.
Aug 30, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Brandon Inniss (1) attempts to make a catch over Texas Longhorns defensive back Graceson Littleton (29) in the first half at Ohio Stadium.

SEC Games Help ABC Dominate College Football Ratings at Midseason

Texas–Ohio State on Fox remains the most-watched game of the season.

Featured Today

May 25, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Derek Jeter walks the red carpet on Sunday, May 25, 2025, ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Players’ Tribune Is Still Kicking 11 Years Later

Founder Derek Jeter is still closely involved in the publication.
Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) celebrates with her teammates after her last second shot to take the lead 90-88 against the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix on Oct. 8, 2025.
exclusive
October 10, 2025

Standoff Over WNBA’s Future Has Dominated Finals

CBA negotiations have stolen the spotlight from the Aces’ dominant performance.
Paul Cartier
October 5, 2025

Sports Organists Are Still Thriving in the Era of Raucous Arena Music

“When they walk out and they see a real organ guy, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
Sep 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Jackson Chourio (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field.
October 4, 2025

Milwaukee Moneyball: Brewers Are Beating MLB’s Deeper Pockets

Milwaukee is holding its own against big-budget competitors.
Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Woodi Washington (5) runs after a reception during the Armed Forces Bowl football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Navy Midshipmen at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024.
August 19, 2025

Oklahoma Selling Fans Tickets to Press Conferences

Press conference tickets for the Sooners’ season opener are already sold out.
September 3, 2025

Ohio State–Texas Showdown Was Most-Watched Week 1 CFB Game Ever

Fox drew 16.62 million viewers on Saturday afternoon.
Sponsored

How Jenny Just Is Shaping the Future of Sports Ownership

Jenny Just on bringing her investment experience to sports ownership.
August 11, 2025

NBA Christmas Schedule Leans on LeBron, Steph While Betting on Flagg

The Lakers, Warriors, and Rockets are all in action.
August 10, 2025

Bears CEO: Arlington Heights Only Local Location for New Stadium

The Bears currently play in Soldier Field in downtown Chicago.
August 8, 2025

Three Schools Sue Mountain West, Commish Over Withheld Funds

Boise State, Colorado State, and Utah State intensified the court battle.
Courtesy: Harlem Globetrotters
July 25, 2025

The Harlem Globetrotters Have Changed Hands Repeatedly, but Keep Making Money

The team is gearing up for its 100th season.