NFL Authorizes Flag Football League Investment

NFL owners gave the greenlight for the league to spend up to $32 million to launch a professional flag football league. The NFL will use its collective investment vehicle, 32 Equity, to enter an agreement with an outside partner to operate the professional flag football league. From Troy Vincent Sr., the NFL's Executive Vice President of Football Operations:

"Today's vote represents a critical step in establishing flag football as a premier global sport. 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 will now identify a partner to operate the new league. According to Bloomberg News, the NFL has narrowed its potential partners to two options: TMRW Sports, co-founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, and a second group involving NFL Hall of Famer Curtis Martin.

No additional details were provided regarding when a partner would be selected or when the league would officially launch. The NFL previously stated it wanted to launch a professional flag football league before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The NFL has gone to great lengths to grow flag football. At the youth level, the NFL partners with RCX Sports to operate NFL FLAG around the country. At the high school level, 38 states have either sanctioned flag football or launched a pilot program. Collegiately, RCX Sports and several NFL franchises have provided funding for schools to start a program, and there are more than 240 club and varsity programs. The NFL has also pushed to have flag football added to the Olympics, a goal that will be realized in 2028 and potentially in 2032.