Youth sports giant Unrivaled is making waves in the rapidly growing world of flag football. The company announced its newest division, Football Youth, which will run the All-American Flag Series to showcase the sport’s top prospects. This move signifies a major step in Unrivaled’s commitment to developing and promoting youth sports across the United States.
All-American Flag Series: A New Platform for Young Athletes
The All-American Flag Series is set to become a premier event in youth flag football. With a nationwide 2025 tour already in the works, the series has announced stops at two renowned venues:
- Round Rock Multipurpose Complex (Austin, Texas)
- ForeverLawn Sports Complex at the Hall of Fame Village (Canton, Ohio)
Amanda Shank, Unrivaled’s EVP of business development, explains the motivation behind this new venture: “We have these best-in-class operators who created Soccer Youth and the All-Ripken Games, which are both individual player model events that were wildly well received by families over the last couple of years. So, the next natural step was to bring it to flag football.”
Unrivaled: A Powerhouse in Youth Sports
Formed in April 2024, Unrivaled is the result of a strategic partnership between Josh Harris, David Blitzer, and The Chernin Group. The company has quickly established itself as a major player in youth sports, housing multiple brands including Ripken Baseball and indoor action sports facility Snöbahn.
Key Investments in Flag Football
Unrivaled’s commitment to flag football is evident in its recent acquisitions and investments:
- December 2023: $10 million majority stake in the ForeverLawn Sports Complex
- April 2024: Acquisition of Under the Lights, a national youth flag football league
- July 2024: Purchase of the New England Flag Football League (NEFFL)
The Growing Popularity of Flag Football
The timing of Unrivaled’s expansion into flag football couldn’t be better. According to the International Federation of American Football, about 2.4 million children under 17 participate in organized flag football in the U.S. Notably, nearly 500,000 of those players are girls, representing a 63% increase from the previous year.
Shank highlights the sport’s accessibility: “Flag football, unlike a lot of sports, is really accessible to any athlete – whether it’s girls, boys, older age groups, or even down to some flag football events in NEFFL that are running at age five. It’s a sport that any kind of athlete can come and pick up.”
Olympic Dreams and Future Opportunities
The growth of flag football is further boosted by its inclusion as an optional sport in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. This presents exciting opportunities for young athletes and the sport as a whole.
While the path from flag football to tackle football or other sports isn’t always clear, Shank sees potential in various areas: “There’s now availability of college scholarships,” she notes, hinting at the expanding opportunities for flag football players.
As Unrivaled continues to invest in and develop flag football programs, the future looks bright for this accessible and fast-growing sport. The All-American Flag Series is poised to become a significant platform for young athletes to showcase their skills and potentially pave the way for future careers in sports.
via: Sportico
photo: Unrivaled Sports LinkedIn
