TMRW Sports, the Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy co-founded company that created and owns TGL, has partnered with the NFL to create new professional flag football leagues for men and women.
The NFL announced the partnership with TMRW Sports, which will help launch the league with an investor base that includes the NFL franchises themselves, private equity groups, former NFL players and other athletes. TMRW Sports, which was founded by former Golf Channel president and NBC Sports executive Mike McCarley, was chosen following a competitive evaluation process that generated strong interest from multiple potential operators. The successful launch of TGL and the forthcoming launch of Women's TGL weighing significantly in TMRW Sports' selection.
The leagues will be founded as flag football increases in popularity and participation, particularly in youth and adult recreational leagues. Flag football will also debut as an Olympic sport in the 2028 summer games in Los Angeles, generating additional interest in the sport as a media property.
"For more than three decades, the NFL has made a significant investment in flag football at the grassroots levels, including youth, high school and college. And now with the inclusion of flag football in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, TMRW Sports shares a vision with the NFL to further fuel fandom and participation worldwide with the development of a professional flag football league," said Mike McCarley, Founder and CEO of TMRW Sports.
"As the elite competitive tier of flag football, this league will mark a new era for the sport as the world's best compete in a fast-paced format that aligns with the evolving media consumption of today's sports fans."
Among the investing former NFL players are Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Eli Manning, Joe Montana, Steve Young, and Larry Fitzgerald. Several elite female athletes are investors as well, including Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss, as well as TGL and Women's TGL team owners Alex Morgan and Serena Williams.
Additionally, 32 Equity, the NFL clubs' combined investment fund, has approved an investment of up to $32 million to support the launch and operation of these leagues.
TMRW Sports and the NFL are discussing further investment opportunities, as well as identifying potential media partners for distribution and broadcast.
A formal launch timeline for the league hasn't been announced, but it's expected to dovetail with the run-up to the 2028 Olympics and flag football's debut in the program.
