Kelly Kozole Named Detroit Lions Senior Vice President Of Business Development
DETROIT — The Detroit Lions announced today that they have promoted Kelly Kozole to senior vice president of business development. Kozole will oversee events, marketing, corporate partnerships, ticketing, retail merchandising, corporate communications, digital media, broadcasting, community relations and the football education division. She will also manage the relationship with the team's official food and beverage partner, Levy Restaurants.
"We are very pleased to promote Kelly to our senior management team," said Detroit Lions Team President Rod Wood. "During her tenure as vice president of events, she has been essential in sustaining Ford Field as the organization's most impactful non-football asset. Her diverse experience will help advance our business as we work to elevate every facet of our organization."
Kozole joined the Detroit Lions in 2002 as vice president of events and has led DLI Entertainment, the team's entertainment division, for 14 years. She has secured and promoted many large-scale shows and events at Ford Field, including nine consecutive sold-out Kenny Chesney concerts, three sold-out Taylor Swift concerts, the 2003 Basketbowl, WrestleMania 23, 2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Regionals, 2009 NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four and the 2010 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Frozen Four.
In 2015, Ford Field had its busiest concert year to date with Taylor Swift's blockbuster 1989 World Tour, the return of Kenny Chesney and One Direction, as well as first- time Ford Field appearances by AC/DC and Luke Bryan. Kozole also served as the executive director of the Quick Lane Bowl, the annual college football bowl game held at Ford Field. With the inaugural game in 2014, the Detroit Lions became the only NFL team to own and operate a college football bowl game.
Prior to her work with the Detroit Lions, Kozole was involved in the opening of two start-up ventures in Atlanta: the Biltmore Ballrooms and Bold American Food Company. She is a graduate of Michigan State University and resides in Troy, Mich. with her husband Kevin Kozole and their children Connor and Morgan.