Our Story

"Nothing!! Not all the armies in the world…..Can stop an idea whose time has come!" --Victor Hugo, brilliant philosopher. Such has been the case with School Of The Legends! (Otherwise known as SOTL.)

August 2009Like so many other amazing ideas, the concept of SOTL was born out of a simple conversation between two old friends. The first draft was formulated and written on a beverage napkin while sipping lattes’ in a popular coffee house and the rest, as they say, is history. It was on that rainy afternoon in August 2010 that the two men arrived at three significant conclusions. These conclusions ultimately became the foundation on which the entire premise of their newly found venture was based. Maybe it was too much caffeine or something much more profound, but their passionate conversation evolved into these 3 simple ideals: 1) Honor the men of excellence in their lives, 2) Create a fun and exciting environment where like-minded friends come together, and 3) Pass on wisdom and knowledge to the next generation! It was from there that these principles spiraled into a business plan that ultimately set the course for the whirlwind that was to come. That very day, SOTL was born.

Within five months, a group of seasoned business professionals was assembled. Marketing, Design, Production, Finance, and last but NOT LEAST, Technology executives were all key players in pulling together a cohesive plan that would soon be presented to the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA).

January 2010 In January 2010 the newly formed SOTL team headed to Washington, DC to meet with top-level executives at the NFLPA Headquarters. Following this monumental meeting the NFLPA quickly responded in a positive manner and got the ball rolling in record time!

The newly established “team” began the overwhelming task of securing investors and the other massive resources required in order to build this legendary website! On June 4th, 2010, the “deal” was signed! SOTL was now an officially licensed partner with NFL Players INC. However, the real work lay ahead...

Over the next 120 days the “team” grew from 5 to 35 with outsourced contractors of 50+. It was a 7-day a week schedule for most during that four month period! With training classes being filmed, designs being implemented, marketing and publicity plans being drawn, and code being written, food and sleep deprivation became epidemic at SOTL Headquarters.

During this time, it was realized that an entire department was needed to engage NFL Players (Legends) on the site. “Build it and they will come?” Not so much…No one realized the enormous undertaking that simple statement would prove to be. It was only through the efforts of a few Legendary NFL players that the site began to take off. Those Legends, who still play critical roles today, began to spread the word and sign up other Legends. It was an incredible time to watch the famous names begin to roll across the counter. Even more amazing was the anticipation and momentous escalation that ensued. By September 9th, 2010, there were 500 NFL Players standing at the gate to connect with fans and welcome other Legends. Today, the Legend Relations Department has engaged more than 1,700 Legends.

September 2010Finally, SOTL.com (BETA 1.0) was ready to go live! It was September 9, 2010 and the new SOTL tricked-out bus was in New Orleans for the season opener between the Saints and the Vikings. Back in Brentwood, TN dozens of talented technology and content souls had been laboring around the clock for the final push. The site debuted to a flurry of great reviews and mentions. SOTL was now the official online community of the NFL Players!

February 2011 Throughout the following months, the focus became more concentrated on developing the on-line Training Classes. In the first six months, the Content Team filmed more than 70 active and former players including 30 “Legends in Training” or LIT classes. By December 2010, the first 8 LIT classes were up and available for purchase! By Super Bowl 2011, SOTL was filming the likes of Michael Vick, Jason Witten, DeSean Jackson, Warren Moon, and Jerome Bettis. From there, they went on to film Peyton, Eli and Archie Manning at the Manning Passing Academy in Louisiana. There is no other place online or otherwise where this many true Legends share their knowledge and perspective on the greatest game ever played.

"In the process of all the deals, stories, relationships, and stress of any new business, critical errors will occur because you are too busy being busy." –David Byerley, @SOTLCEO. This truth almost destroyed this exploding opportunity. The site, a one of a kind, multi-featured technology base has always been a massive vision and extremely complex at every level. The development team at SOTL has always attempted to maintain a keen eye for the greatest opportunities presented to SOTL. But anytime great opportunity exists, it must be recognized that success is measured in three unique manners. First and most obvious is “The Bottom Line.”¬ Secondly, the level of user and Legend satisfaction is paramount. Lastly, is the loyalty and commitment of the SOTL staff that keeps the wheels turning. For all of these reasons, the SOTL team determined that the site wasn’t yet what it could be and had not yet fulfilled our expectations. We had to renovate and re-launch!

Today 2011Many months and countless resources have been poured into SOTL 2.0. Every element has been designed with the user’s experience in mind. Whether you are a Fan, Athlete, Parent, Coach or Legend; SOTL has strived to optimize relationships. For the fan, it is a place to get connected and stay connected to your favorite Legends. The student athlete can train and learn from the absolute best. The coach finds unique insight and gathers wisdom from other coaches as well as NFL Players. Parents are given solid fundamentals and ideas on how to support and encourage their own “in-house” Legends in training!

With each passing day, SOTL adds content, introduces new features, and continues to improve site functionality and performance. We are consumed with giving every member of the SOTL community the very best and most positive interaction possible. Welcome to School Of The Legends, “the greatest online football experience in the world…”