Participants engaged directly with major procurement teams through “NFL Source,” the league’s small business supplier program.
Nicole Green, founder of the cupcake business Coco’s Lip Smacking Cupcakes, provided desserts at the gathering and pitched buyers face-to-face. “This time, I was able to meet with the buyers one-on-one, so the process was different,” Green said, noting she had participated in a similar program ahead of the 2022 Super Bowl without landing a contract.
Actual supply agreements are already materializing from the supplier events. Tim Ryan, owner of El Porto Laundry in Manhattan Beach, secured a contract to handle staff uniforms and linens before and after the game. Operating with 30 commercial washing machines, Ryan’s facility can process large volumes overnight. Meanwhile, Torrance-based promotional products supplier Rohem International received an order from the NFL for roughly 2,000 logo-branded T-shirts and completed production within 24 hours.
Industry experts cautioned business owners against overextending their operations to meet massive event demands. Vendors are advised to assess their true production limits honestly and collaborate with fellow local enterprises if an order exceeds their capacity.
Maisha Boyce, who leads the NFL Source initiative, emphasized that large-scale events can disrupt local communities, making it vital for neighborhood business owners to capture the economic benefits. Participating vendors hope these initial arrangements build pathways to recurring contracts with the league and other major corporate clients beyond a single weekend.
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