Key Takeaways
- Girls flag football topped 102,000 high school participants in 2025-26, making it the fastest-growing high school sport in the U.S., per NFHS.
- Tampa Police Athletic League is adding a co-ed flag football program, with the stated aim of putting more girls on the gridiron.
- The PAL campus already serves as home field for Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School’s girls flag football team.
- City property tax revenue helps fund PAL’s year-round, low-cost programming, which Tampa officials frame as part of crime prevention.
The Tampa Police Athletic League (PAL) is adding a co-ed flag football program, according to a September 28, 2026 announcement from the City of Tampa. Mayor Jane Castor, Acting Tampa Police Chief Brett Owen, and PAL staff are scheduled to present the Tampa PAL flag football plans on Tuesday, September 29, with a stated focus on getting more girls into the sport. The expansion arrives as girls flag football passed 102,000 high school participants during the 2025-26 school year, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
How Fast Is Girls Flag Football Growing in High Schools?
Girls flag football is the fastest-growing high school sport in the United States, according to NFHS figures cited by the city. Participation surpassed 102,000 athletes in the 2025-26 school year, per the federation.
Tampa PAL already has a direct connection to that growth. The PAL campus serves as the home field for Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School’s girls flag football team, according to the city. The new co-ed program places a youth-level flag football option on the same campus that already hosts a high school girls team.
The city’s announcement does not specify age ranges, team counts, or how the co-ed format will be structured to increase girls’ participation.
Tampa PAL Flag Football Joins a Tax-Supported, Year-Round Slate
The flag football program builds on PAL’s existing year-round offerings, which the city says are supported in part by City of Tampa property tax revenue. Current programming spans athletics, computer coding, marine education, gardening, and creative arts, per the announcement.
City officials describe PAL’s activities, along with the relationships participants build with Tampa Police officers, as part of Tampa’s broader approach to crime prevention. The city says the after-school programming is low-cost and open to all Tampa families.
“A high-five on the field can lead to deep conversations,” Castor said in the release, describing PAL as a place where young people can try new activities and build confidence with supportive adults. Castor also referenced Amendment 3, which is before voters, arguing that public safety includes prevention programs like PAL in addition to emergency response.
Veterans Care Packages and a Leadership in Training Track
Flag football is one of several additions to PAL’s fall calendar. Participants will assemble care packages for local veterans this fall, according to the city, and will meet veterans in person around Veterans Day to deliver them.
For older participants, PAL runs a Leadership in Training program that allows them to continue their involvement. The city says the program includes college campus tours, career exposure, and practical life-skills training.
One Campus, a High School Girls Team, and a New Co-Ed Youth Roster
Following the September 29 remarks, media are invited to tour the PAL campus, where PAL youth, staff, and Tampa Police personnel will be on site to discuss the programs, according to the city.
The announcement confirms the program’s existence and its goal but leaves the operating details unpublished: launch date, participation fees, age groups, and roster capacity. Until the city releases enrollment figures, how many girls the co-ed format actually brings onto the field remains the open question.
Source: City of Tampa, September 28, 2026, https://www.tampa.gov/news/2026-09/tampa-pal-expanding-youth-opportunities-flag-football-195676
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How big is the youth sports market?
American families spend approximately $54 billion annually on kids’ sports and recreation, according to the YSBR and Kinetica Group Youth Sports TAM & Parent Spending Report, with organized sports alone representing a $40 billion-plus market. The average family spent $1,016 on a child’s primary sport in 2024, up 46 percent since 2019, per the Aspen Institute’s Project Play, and market research projects the global youth sports market will reach approximately $114 billion by 2032 (Business Research Insights).
How many kids play youth sports in the United States?
Approximately 27.3 million children ages 6 to 17, or about 54.6 percent, played organized sports in 2022-2023, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health as reported by the Aspen Institute’s Project Play. High school sports participation reached a record 8.26 million athletes in 2024-25, per the NFHS.
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Youth Sports Marketing Questions, Answered
Where can brands sponsor youth sports? Brands can sponsor youth sports through local leagues and clubs, tournaments and events, facilities and complexes, governing bodies, and national platform programs. Sponsoring a child’s own program is the most powerful entry point: 81 percent of parents say it captures their attention, outperforming TV, social media, and pro sports sponsorship, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study conducted by YouGov Sport.
How much does youth sports sponsorship cost? Youth sports sponsorship costs range from a few thousand dollars for a local league or team sponsorship to six and seven figures for regional facility naming rights and national platform programs. The environment is welcoming at every level: 84 percent of parents hold net positive sentiment toward brands sponsoring youth sports, with negative sentiment under 5 percent, per YouGov Sport research. Most brands start with a pilot activation, measure engagement, then scale.
What is the ROI of youth sports marketing? The data is striking: 80 percent of parents say they would choose the brand that sponsors their child’s youth sports program when comparing two similar products, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study by YouGov Sport. A 2026 EMARKETER and DICK’S Media survey found 84 percent of sports parents say that role influences their purchase decisions, and 60 percent spend more on game and practice days, driving loyalty across categories from dining to travel to automotive.
Ready to build a youth sports strategy? Vertical Sports is an Advisory+ delivering integrated expertise across all levels of sport. Youth, College, Pro. Every Fan, Every Level. Brands and youth sports organizations can reach the team at info@verticalsports.us.
