Daniel Werly, a veteran sports lawyer who brings experience from a wide variety of areas in the field, has been named general counsel of the Tennessee Titans. Werly, whose first day was June 8, replaces Burke Nihill, who was elevated to President/CEO.
Werly, who is also an Adjunct Professor of Sports Law at Vanderbilt University Law School, left the GC position at the Nashville Soccer Club to move across town to the Titans.
Prior to that, he was co-managing partner, with Justin Sievert, of Sievert Werly, a boutique sports law firm. Leading up to that post, Werly was an attorney at Foley & Lardner and Drinker Biddle & Reath.
In addition to his role as sports law professor, he is also co-chair of the sports division of the ABA.
Nihill Was ‘Best Choice’ for the Job
Nihill, in his fifth season with the team, replaced Steve Underwood, who is retiring.
Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said that when Underwood informed her he was ready to step away from a full-time role, “it was immediately clear to me that Burke was the best choice for the job. Since starting with the club as the General Counsel, Burke has continued to take on additional responsibilities to the point that he has become an invaluable resource and an absolute superstar for our organization. I have great confidence in him and his leadership, and I know that the future is bright for the team.”
During his time with the Titans, Nihill been involved in many different facets of the organization. As Vice President and General Counsel, Nihill was responsible for the organization’s legal, human resources and government relations functions. Following his promotion earlier this year, he also began overseeing stadium and facility operations.
In addition to his core responsibilities, Nihill has also taken the lead on other strategic projects for the team. He was instrumental in the effort to secure and execute the 2019 Draft in Nashville and is currently overseeing the renovation and expansion of Saint Thomas Sports Park.
Nihill joined the Titans in 2016 with 15 years of professional experience working as an attorney and strategic business counselor with companies ranging from technology startups to Fortune 500 businesses.
Butch Spyridon, who has served as president and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation (NCVC) since 1991, said he felt from the beginning that Nihill “was the heir apparent to Steve Underwood. With how he represented the team, and how he carried himself, I’ve just always been impressed by him. To me, it seemed like a pretty easy choice for Amy. It probably worked out better or faster than they thought, but I can’t think it was an accident.
“From a financial, from a legal, from a sales standpoint, and from an execution standpoint, I have had the opportunity to interact with Burke and he is equally smart to Steve. But where Steve had more of a cut-and-dry approach, Burke has more of a velvet hammer, but I can tell you he is no pushover. He is a smart man, and he knows what he is doing. But he’s nobody’s fool.”
