Bloomberg Businessweek Flag Football Is Taking Over High Schools, and Soon the Olympics
Oct 9, 2026
Amanda Mull, a Bloomberg Businessweek senior reporter covering consumer culture, sports, and technology, explores flag football’s explosive rise among girls. They discuss the NFL’s big investment, Title IX, the sport’s Olympic future, a planned professional league, surging TV audiences, and a massive youth tournament where football is becoming more accessible and global.
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NFL Money Builds A Flag Football Pipeline
- Girls’ flag football has expanded from youth play into high schools, colleges, and a planned professional league.
- The NFL and investment partners are funding teams, equipment, facilities, and instructional programs nationwide.
Flag Football Protects The NFL’s Future
- The NFL sees flag football as a way to create future fans while avoiding tackle football’s violence and injury concerns.
- Childhood participation matters because people who play sports are more likely to become sports fans.
Title IX Created A Route Into Football
- Title IX increased opportunities for female athletes, but football lacked a large-scale participation pathway for girls.
- State sanctioning and college teams now align gender equity, student recruitment, and the NFL’s expansion goals.