Global Sports and Entertainment Business Academy

Derrick Heggans is a Lecturer at Georgetown University's Graduate School of Continuing Studies in the Sports Industry Management Program. He previously served as an Assistant Professor of the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, serving as the Faculty Champion for the Sports Management Fellows Program.  Heggans also served as the Founder and CEO of Team Turnaround, an organization supporting President Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper Initiative” focused on improving life outcomes for boys and young men of color. Team Turnaround is focused on using the infrastructure and assets of the sports and entertainment communities to promote equity in education for all underserved kids.​Prior to starting Team Turnaround, Heggans served as the Managing Director of the Wharton Sports Business Initiative, a research and education-focused think tank based at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania from 2010-2013. While at Wharton, Heggans founded and served as Director of the Wharton Sports Business Academy.​Prior to joining the Wharton Sports Business Initiative, Heggans worked at AOL as General Manager of AOL’s Sports Channel, overseeing all business and programming operations. In 2008, he was named by Sports Business Journal as one of the “20 Most Influential in Sports Digital Media”. In March 2009, Heggans was named to Sports Business Journal 2009 “Forty Under 40” list of most dynamic young executives in business of Sports under the age of 40.​Prior to his time with AOL, Heggans worked for the National Football League from 1998 through 2004 in various legal roles. In May 1998, he began working at NFL Properties, the marketing and licensing division of the National Football League, in the Legal & Business Affairs Department as a staff attorney. His primary role was serving as business affairs counsel for Corporate Sponsorships, Marketing and Special Events. In May 2001, Heggans moved to the Office of the Commissioner of the National Football League as Assistant Counsel for Broadcast Operations and Policy, where he assisted the Broadcasting Department, NFL Films, and NFL Enterprises in negotiating, structuring and administering various League media contracts; advised clubs on broadcast issues; served as chief business affairs counsel for implementation of Super Bowl, Pro Bowl and other NFL run special events; and served on the Super Bowl Policy Committee.​A native and current resident of Washington, DC, Heggans graduated from Duke University in 1992. He also graduated from George Washington University’s School of Law in 1998 and is a member of the NY Bar.