One-on-One With Brooke Skelley

Our team is a passionate group of MVPs who are ready to propel the #TampaBayLV movement forward forever. “Together, we will focus on raising the bar for the fan experience in the region, implementing lasting legacy initiatives, showcasing the destination’s recent progress and exciting future, all while delivering a fifth worldclass Super Bowl.” - Rob Higgins

Brooke Skelley, Director of Marketing & Communications

In this role, she is responsible for the production and distribution of committee messaging as well as the lead contact for several NFL executives, television network leads, and media partners.

A graduate of Clemson University’s Communication Studies Program, Skelley worked as an intern for the Clemson Athletic Department during her senior year after spending the previous summer working in Los Angeles as a public relations intern for one of the top consulting agencies in the film and entertainment industry, Lisa Taback Consulting.

After graduation, Brooke spent five seasons on the team side of the NFL as a member of the public relations staff for the Carolina Panthers followed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Over the course of her career in the NFL, her responsibilities included assisting the media by facilitating interviews for players and coaches to handling all accreditation for media outlets, visiting team and production crews for both home and away games. She also assisted with press release messaging for both corporate partnerships and community outreach.

Brooke looks forward to continuing to expand upon her knowledge and familiarity with the Tampa Bay community in her role with the host committee. During her time with the Buccaneers, she worked closely with many community leaders and both local and national media to promote and bring awareness to not only what was happening on the field, but in the community as well, and she looks forward to continuing to do so on the way to Tampa Bay’s fifth Super Bowl.

In your role as the Director of Marketing & Communications for the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee, what are some of your primary responsibilities?

All of us at the Host Committee overlap into different lanes. Still, my main responsibility is handling the production and distribution of Host Committee messaging, scheduling media availabilities for our team members, and playing a big part in the production of our weekly Tampa Bay 55 podcast episodes and our monthly newsletters. As we prepare for Super Bowl, I have played a large role in making sure Host Committee members and vendors receive credentials for their appropriate access zones for game week. I will also play a large role in the execution of the Social Media Command Center space.

You mentioned the Social Media Command Center. For those unfamiliar, what is this place, and how will it function during Super Bowl week?

The Social Media Command Center (SMCC) is a space that the Host Committee produces each year to ensure all fans and visitors attending events and activations in the area have a quick option to receive answers to any questions they may have. Although most questions will be answered via the NFL’s OnePass App, any questions sent into the Host Committee social channels will be answered by the volunteers in this space. We are fortunate to have many of our local organizations participating in the space, including Visit Tampa Bay, USF’s Vinik Sports Management Program, UT’s Sports Management program, and members from Tampa’s PRSA chapter. For individuals with questions during game week, please reach out directly to our social channels or ask your questions using the hashtag #SBQuestions.

After spending five seasons working on the team side of the NFL as a member of the public relations staff for two organizations, what made you want to take on a new role with the Super Bowl LV Host Committee?

During my first year in Tampa, my alma mater, Clemson University, played in the College Football Playoff here in Raymond James Stadium. I was blown away by the preparation leading up to the championship game, with events taking place along the Riverwalk, from a three-day concert festival at Curtis Hixon Park to skyscraper-sized projections on buildings downtown, all capped off by a big win in Ray Jay for the Tigers. CFP was so thoughtfully executed the entire week, and it opened my eyes to the role and first-class level of expertise the Tampa Bay Sports Commission exudes. Since the game, I made sure to keep up with what events were coming to town and followed along on coverage and plans. When the opportunity presented itself to make a move, I knew I had to take advantage of the opportunity. The past 15 months have been life-changing, and I feel incredibly blessed to learn from the talented group that makes up the Sports Commission daily.

What is your greatest accomplishment over the past 15 months with the Host Committee?

I am incredibly proud of the way our team has been able to assess the current state of the world and pivot to ensure that we still execute at the highest level possible. Whether that is by shifting our in-person podcast to a virtual format each week or successfully completing a virtual press conference with over 150 media members in attendance in August for the launch of the Super Bowl Experience Presented by Lowe’s and our social legacy Initiative, Forever 55, our team has stepped up to the occasion. We have been forced to expand our skillsets and step out of our comfort zones and will forever be stronger because of it. In many ways, we are creating the “playbook” on planning an event given the restrictions put into place because of the pandemic, and I feel proud to be a part of the group leading the charge.

Your fiancé is Cameron Brate, a tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With the Bucs advancing to the NFC Championship, they have a legitimate chance at making history here in Tampa Bay. What would that mean to you personally?

It is hard for me to put into words the emotions I have been trying to process this season, and more specifically, the past couple weeks in the playoffs. For me, being a part of the planning process in this area I am lucky enough to call home is overwhelming on its own, but for there to be the potential for my fiancé to also take place in this game takes it to the next level. There would be nothing more than I would love to see than our very own Tampa Bay Buccaneers play in the Super Bowl here in Raymond James Stadium. I would love this for our amazing fan base, the Glazer family, and all the coaches and staff that have put their whole hearts into making this season happen against all odds. Cameron has been in Tampa for his entire seven-year NFL career, minus a 5-day stint with the Saints, so I know he wants nothing more than to bring the Lombardi home for the Bucs.