Novartis, a pharmaceuticals company, and the National Football League have announced an unprecedented partnership that names Novartis as the official first-in-category corporate pharmaceutical partner of the NFL.
The exclusive partnership aims to empower football fans everywhere to make proactive decisions about their health, better understand screening guidelines and create a playbook for a healthier future.
Sport has a universal appeal that transcends boundaries, and the NFL has a passionate community that has demonstrated a deep connection to supporting health and wellness initiatives. Novartis has been reimagining medicine and delivering treatment innovations for decades, reaching nearly 300 million patients worldwide in 2024 alone. This first-of-its-kind partnership will unite missions to harness the power of gameday spirit into a dedication for advancing better health, beginning in oncology.
“At the heart of this first-of-its-kind partnership is the ambition to educate and mobilize communities to detect cancer and other diseases early, broadening health solutions beyond medicine,” said President, U.S. at Novartis Victor Bultó.
“With its nationwide fan base and demonstrated commitment to health advocacy, the NFL is a powerful partner for igniting critical health conversations at an unmatched scale. Together, Novartis and the NFL are working toward levelling the playing field against serious health conditions, empowering every fan to proactively manage their health”.
While millions cheer on their favourite teams on the field, too many sideline their own well-being —skipping routine screenings or delaying crucial conversations with healthcare professionals about risks for certain conditions.
Within the first year, the joint effort will focus on strengthening the support of the NFL’s Crucial Catch initiative alongside the American Cancer Society (ACS), an initiative that promotes cancer awareness, early detection and risk reduction. Novartis will join the league and ACS in their commitment to help more people detect cancer early and address the unequal burden of cancer in under-resourced communities.
This is critical as some cancers can be identified early, before they have had a chance to grow and spread. In fact, the 5-year survival rate for many cancers is over 90% when detected early, which means knowing your risk and getting screened are imperative to improving outcomes.1 To learn more about Crucial Catch, visit NFL.com/CrucialCatch.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Novartis as our first-ever corporate partner across the pharmaceutical category,” said senior vice president, sponsorship at the NFL Tracie Rodburg. “As we continue to strategically prioritize the health and wellness space, we look forward to working with Novartis. Together we will be able to make an impact in communities for our fans across the 2025 season and in the years ahead.”
Novartis will also serve as the league’s presenting partner for the upcoming Health and Safety Summit, Pro Football Hall of Fame Game and Hall of Fame Class Presentation at NFL Honors, and the company will support My Cause My Cleats through storytelling around players and the causes most important to them. Novartis will also activate at the 2025 NFL Draft, Super Bowl LX and other special events throughout the season.
“At the NFL we’re always looking for new ways to provide the highest level of care to our players, including through collaboration with experts across the medical field. Novartis is the ideal partner to help us in this mission due to their unparalleled expertise in innovative medicines and their dedication to improving health outcomes,” said chief medical officer at the NFL Dr. Allen Sills.
“At our upcoming Medical Summit and beyond, we’ll work with Novartis in leveraging our combined strengths to advance health initiatives and make a lasting impact at the league and in communities across the country.”
