San Francisco 49ers

Effective structural change

The San Francisco 49ers had a problem. From January to December 2016, a franchise-record 13 straight defeats had seen the team finish bottom of the NFC West in consecutive seasons.

Seeking to improve team and organizational performance, the 49ers’ senior leadership reached out to Sportsology in 2017 with the aim of reviewing core structures and practices. Working closely with the owner, president, general manager, and head coach, Sportsology led a project focused on reevaluating player development models and restructuring the medical and physical performance department.

The process resulted in the franchise implementing a structure closely related to a model regularly seen among Premier League soccer teams. The introduction of a performance director with oversight of both the medical and performance departments created greater alignment and efficiency across a key function of the organization.

Since affecting structural change, the 49ers have seen significant improvements in performance on and off the field. In 2019, the franchise reached its first SuperBowl since 2013, becoming the first team to make the game following four consecutive seasons with 10 or more losses.

“Back in the 2017 off-season we had a major decision to revamp the whole football operations for the first time in over a decade. We found in Sportsology a perfect partner, process and platform that allowed us to reboot the football areas and hold our entire franchise accountable to a new level of performance.”

Paraag Marathe
President, 49ers Enterprises