The NFL’s investment in flag football is continuing with an announcement today that the league’s owners have voted to launch and financially support a professional flag football league.
The league will invest up to $32 million, or $1 million per NFL team, in getting the league up and running. The NFL’s announcement indicated that there will be both a men’s and a women’s league.
“Today’s vote represents a critical step in establishing flag football as a premier global sport,” NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent Sr, said in the league’s announcement. “We are developing the infrastructure to accelerate the game’s growth to new heights by creating a clear pathway for aspiring athletes to progress from youth and high school programs through college and now to the professional level. We look forward to forming a partnership to bring this vision to life and deliver a world-class professional flag football experience for elite athletes and fans alike.”
The NFL is seeking to capitalize on the international attention on flag football that will come with the sport appearing in the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. The league also sees flag football as a way to attract more women, and it has supported efforts that have made girls’ flag football a high school sport in 38 states.
