NFL Announces They’re Launching a New Pro League

This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

The NFL is partnering with TMRW Sports to launch a professional men’s and women’s flag football league. 

Flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world and will debut at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. A reported 20 million players participate worldwide, with American youth players accounting for 4.1 million.

The new league will offer a pathway into professional sports while accommodating youth, high school and college players. 

The NFL reported as much via its official website on Monday, revealing support from a group of investors, including NFL teams and current and former players.

Arik Armstead, Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson are named as investors who are still playing. 

Former players include Peyton Manning, Joe Montana, Steve Young, Larry Fitzgerald, Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Justin Tuck, Ryan Nece and Dhani Jones.

Billie Jean King, Ilana Kloss, Alex Morgan and Serena Williams are part of an investor pool from outside the league.

“The dream of the National Football League started as a flag player, and to be able to see just where the game has grown [is really exciting],” Fitzgerald said. “This is going to be a proving ground for all those young players. . . . I’m really excited about the future of flag football in our country.”

Brady, meanwhile, just helped host a flag football competition alongside Fanatics, which involved NFL stars and social media influencers. The turnout wasn’t so great, according to reports. 

NFL’s New Flag Football Partners Passed Rigorous Vetting

The NFL chose TMRW Sports as a partner after evaluating multiple entities. The league’s 32 clubs authorized the investment vehicle, 32 Equity, to approve $32 million in funding to support the launch. 

“TMRW Sports’ first successful venture has been the development of TGL presented by SoFi, a primetime team golf league in partnership with the PGA TOUR,” the NFL noted. “The selection of TMRW Sports reflects its proven ability to leverage technology and new platforms to build modern approaches in sports, media, and entertainment properties.”

The NFL and TMRW Sports will continue discussions regarding design and operational planning in the coming months. 

The launch is expected to be in line with the buildup to the 2028 Olympic Games.