Michael Huyghue

The United Football League, entering its third season in 2011, continues to establish itself in the professional sports world with Commissioner Michael Huyghue at the helm. Huyghue led the UFL through its Premiere Season in 2009, and his vision and leadership has seen the league attract new investment and secure a foothold in new permanent homes and expansion cities for its franchises for the 2010 and 2011 seasons and beyond. With more than two decades of experience in the professional football and sports industries, Huyghue brings expertise in the areas of legal, operations, front office management and player representation. Huyghue began his career as a legal intern for the NFL’s Players Association, and was then an attorney with the NFL’s Management Council in 1987, handling arbitration hearings. At the age of 29, he became the youngest general manger in professional football when he joined the World League of American Football's Birmingham Fire in 1991. In 1992, he became the WLAF's Vice President/Administration and General Counsel. Huyghue joined the Detroit Lions as Vice President and General Counsel, before becoming Senior Vice President of Football Operations for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the team’s inaugural NFL season. During Huyghue’s tenure with the Jaguars, the team became the winningest franchise in expansion history, achieving two AFC Central Division Championships and an unprecedented two AFC Championship appearances. Huyghue has served on many of the NFL Commissioner's prominent committees, including the NFL Management Council, the Executive Working Group Committee, the NFL College Advisory Committee, the NFL Europe League and as a Trustee of the NFL Players Insurance Trust. Prior to joining the UFL, Huyghue was CEO and founder of Axcess Sports & Entertainment, where he represented a number of NFL, NBA and PGA TOUR players. The Sports Business Journal has twice named Huyghue to the “Forty Under 40” Top Sports Business Executives. Huyghue earned his undergraduate degree from Cornell University, where he starred as a football and baseball player, and earned his law degree from the University of Michigan. Huyghue currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida, with his wife and three children.