Key Takeaways
- The NFL selects TMRW Sports to develop and operate professional flag football leagues for both men and women, with a target launch ahead of the 2028 LA Olympics.
- NFL club investment vehicle 32 Equity commits up to $32 million to support the launch.
- Investor group includes Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Serena Williams, Billie Jean King, and institutional backers like Silver Lake and Sixth Street.
- Youth flag football participation in the U.S. has grown more than 50% since 2020, reaching approximately 4.1 million players.
- High school girls’ flag football participation jumped nearly 60% from 2024 to 2025.
TMRW Sports Tapped to Build the League
The NFL announced Monday at its league meeting in Phoenix that it has selected TMRW Sports as the developmental and operational partner for two new professional flag football leagues, one for men and one for women.
TMRW Sports, founded by CEO Mike McCarley, is best known for building TGL, the primetime team golf league developed in partnership with the PGA Tour. NFL officials said the selection followed a competitive evaluation process that drew interest from multiple potential operators. TMRW Sports stood out for its track record combining technology, media, and new sports platforms.
“What’s been missing in that pathway is a professional league, where these kids can aspire to go play, and where the athletes who will compete in the Olympics every four years can earn a living,” McCarley said at the announcement.
$32 Million Commitment and a Deep Investor Bench
NFL clubs authorized 32 Equity, their collective investment vehicle, to commit up to $32 million to support the league’s launch and operations. Beyond club money, the investor pool includes current and former NFL players such as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Young, Bobby Wagner, and Russell Wilson.
Women’s sports figures Billie Jean King, Ilana Kloss, Alex Morgan, and Serena Williams are also among the investors. Institutional backers include Silver Lake, Sixth Street, Bessemer Venture Partners, Ariel Investments/Project Level, Blue Pool Capital, and Arctos Partners, among others.
Youth Participation Numbers Driving the Business Case
The NFL cited flag football as one of the fastest-growing sports globally, with 20 million participants across 100 countries. In the U.S., approximately 4.1 million youth play flag football, a figure that has increased more than 50% since 2020.
Growth among girls and young women has been especially sharp. High school girls’ participation rose nearly 60% from 2024 to 2025. More than 100 colleges and universities now offer women’s flag football, and the University of Nebraska recently became the first Power Four Division I program to launch a varsity women’s flag football team. Flag football is offered at the high school level in 39 states.
Troy Vincent Sr., NFL executive vice president of football operations, framed the professional league as the final piece in a competitive pathway that now runs from youth through high school, college, the Olympics, and professional play. “This is especially meaningful for girls and young women who are helping drive the sport’s growth worldwide,” Vincent said.
Timeline, Format, and What’s Still Unknown
The leagues are expected to launch sometime before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where flag football will make its Olympic debut. The flag football portion of the Games is scheduled for July 15 through 22, with a two-week training camp preceding competition.
McCarley estimated that each professional season would occupy the summer months leading up to the NFL regular season and would need to wrap by late June to accommodate Olympic team commitments. Beyond that, specific details on team count, markets, schedule format, and broadcast plans remain undetermined.
McCarley also noted that league officials plan to coordinate closely with the International Federation of American Football to align scheduling with professional flag football leagues in other countries.
A New Professional Tier in a Fast-Growing Pipeline
The announcement adds a professional layer to a participation pipeline that has expanded rapidly at the youth, high school, and college levels. For youth sports operators and facility owners, the formalization of a pro league backed by NFL capital and mainstream sports investors could accelerate demand for flag football programming, field time, and tournament infrastructure in the years ahead.
Source: USA Today, Mike Jones, March 30, 2026; CBS Sports, Bryan DeArdo, March 30, 2026
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