Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic to be Broadcast by ESPN
The inaugural Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic presented by Oakley is set to be delivered to a national audience. The Classic will have one semifinal and the championship game broadcast on ESPNU this weekend. The championship game is set to kick off at 6 PM Eastern Time on Sunday, April 19. One of the two semifinal games starting at 3:30 PM Eastern Time will also be shown on ESPNU. Both matchups will also be streamed on the ESPN App. Kyle Bailey will be on the call as the play-by-play announcer and Phoebe Schecter will be the analyst.
“Our vision for the Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic presented by Oakley has always been to create an experience that honors these student-athletes and elevates the entire sport,” said Erik Moses, Executive Director & CEO of Fiesta Sports Foundation. “This is a monumental step with our teammates at ESPN to bring the championship game and a semifinal to a nationwide audience. It is game-changing for our event, for the future of women’s collegiate flag football and it validates where this sport is headed.”
“Flag football is one of the most compelling growth stories in sports and we are proud to bring the Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic presented by Oakley to a national audience on ESPNU and the ESPN App,” said Kurt Dargis, Senior Director, Programming & Acquisitions, ESPN. “Collaborating with Fiesta Sports Foundation on this inaugural event reflects our shared commitment to elevating the game and expanding opportunities for women’s sports. Putting this championship on a national stage allows the storytelling that ESPN is known for as we inspire the next wave of flag football players and fans.”
The Fiesta Sports Foundation announced the first edition of the Fiesta Bowl Flag Football Classic presented by Oakley in late January. The two-day event will take place on Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19, on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe. The first day will feature 12 games to determine the seeding for the 8-team bracket. The single-elimination bracket will conclude on Sunday, April 19, with the championship game shown on ESPNU.
The two-day event will feature Alabama State, Arizona State, Central Florida, Charlotte, Florida, Georgia, Grand Canyon, and USC competing for the title. Alabama State, Arizona State, Charlotte, and Florida will comprise one group, while Central Florida, Georgia, Grand Canyon, and USC will be in the second group. The remaining 17 games will be livestreamed on the Fiesta Sports Foundation website at FiestaSportsFoundation.org/FlagFootball. All games will be produced by HomeTeam Network.