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The Next Big Play in Women's Sports  

What’s going on: One of the fastest-growing sports in the US just planted its next flag — with major backing from the NFL. Flag football — yes, the sport from that one gym class unit with the funky belts — is getting a new professional women’s and men’s league. The NFL’s 32 teams are all in, along with a roster of hall of fame-level investors: Alex Morgan, Serena Williams, Billie Jean King, the Mannings, and Tom Brady. The momentum is real, especially in the women’s sports arena. The New York Jets are helping launch the largest collegiate women’s flag league in the US. And the Kansas City Chiefs kicked off a campaign to get the state to sanction girls’ flag football at the high school level — which would make it the 18th state. At least 65 NCAA schools already sponsor club or varsity teams. All roads lead to LA 2028, where men’s and women’s flag football will make its Olympic debut. 

And the game plan is…: This is about more than just seizing the moment — it’s about creating a pipeline of opportunity for girls in the sport. It could soon be possible to go from a high school state championship to a college scholarship to the Olympics, and then into a pro league. For organizations like the NFL, it represents a major revenue opportunity. But investment or not, participation in the sport is skyrocketing, with many parents seeing it as a much safer alternative to tackle football. A CDC study found that youth tackle football athletes had up to 15 times more head impacts than flag football players. And a separate study found that girls who play flag show improvements in energy levels compared to nonplayers. Sounds like plenty of green flags to us. 

Related: One of the NFL’s First Female Officials Just Sued the League (AP)