NFL women's flag championships? | The Boneyard

NFL women's flag championships?

superjohn

superjohn

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I get that the summer is slow for sports but ESPN has been airing women with giant mouth guards playing flag football all weekend long. There's an NFL logo on a soccer field with several out of shape women running around. This is even weirder than corn hole/bags being sold as a sport.
 
The NFL has been pushing this flag football thing hard for a number of years now, so I'm not surprised by it. Just look how hard it pushed to include NFL players at the 2028 Olympics.

I don't know what the end-game is. Perhaps it's an attempt to appeal to the younger female demographic here and grow the sport internationally. Could also be a way to preemptively salvage youth football in certain parts of the country as participation continues to drop.
 
champs99and04 said:
The NFL has been pushing this flag football thing hard for a number of years now, so I'm not surprised by it. Just look how hard it pushed to include NFL players at the 2028 Olympics.

I don't know what the end-game is. Perhaps it's an attempt to appeal to the younger female demographic here and grow the sport internationally. Could also be a way to preemptively salvage youth football in certain parts of the country as participation continues to drop.
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“As of March 2025, women's flag football has experienced significant growth across various collegiate levels in the United States. Below is an updated overview of institutions participating in flag football, including their program start dates and sources.”:

www.2adays.com

Women's Flag Football in 2025: Full List of NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA College Teams & Start Dates | Football | 2aDays News

Football: As of March 2025, women's flag football has experienced significant growth across various collegiate levels in the United States. Below is an updated
www.2adays.com www.2adays.com
 
superjohn said:
I get that the summer is slow for sports but ESPN has been airing women with giant mouth guards playing flag football all weekend long. There's an NFL logo on a soccer field with several out of shape women running around. This is even weirder than corn hole/bags being sold as a sport.
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That was the WNBA all-star game you were watching.
 
champs99and04 said:
The NFL has been pushing this flag football thing hard for a number of years now, so I'm not surprised by it. Just look how hard it pushed to include NFL players at the 2028 Olympics.

I don't know what the end-game is. Perhaps it's an attempt to appeal to the younger female demographic here and grow the sport internationally. Could also be a way to preemptively salvage youth football in certain parts of the country as participation continues to drop.
Expand ...
I see where this is going and I personally don’t like it because what this does is it promotes flag football to eventually replace real football. We see how NFL players will be in the Olympics in 2028 that will be gas lighted by the media and there will be talk of doing it in let’s say a pre season game to try it out then the next idea is do do it in a regular season. Sure it’s far fetched but not out of the realm of possibility.

The next tragic thing to happen on a football field field will be gas lighted to death and will be talked of flag football being real football. Bottom line is football is a very dangerous occupation that pays well much like other occupations like log workers.
 
Scoe said:
I see where this is going and I personally don’t like it because what this does is it promotes flag football to eventually replace real football. We see how NFL players will be in the Olympics in 2028 that will be gas lighted by the media and there will be talk of doing it in let’s say a pre season game to try it out then the next idea is do do it in a regular season. Sure it’s far fetched but not out of the realm of possibility.

The next tragic thing to happen on a football field field will be gas lighted to death and will be talked of flag football being real football. Bottom line is football is a very dangerous occupation that pays well much like other occupations like log workers.
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That's my concern as well, though part of me thinks I'm just being paranoid. I just don't think there's a realistic path to commercial success for flag football no matter how much they try to promote it.
 
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Scoe said:
I see where this is going and I personally don’t like it because what this does is it promotes flag football to eventually replace real football. We see how NFL players will be in the Olympics in 2028 that will be gas lighted by the media and there will be talk of doing it in let’s say a pre season game to try it out then the next idea is do do it in a regular season. Sure it’s far fetched but not out of the realm of possibility.

The next tragic thing to happen on a football field field will be gas lighted to death and will be talked of flag football being real football. Bottom line is football is a very dangerous occupation that pays well much like other occupations like log workers.
Expand ...
Football was almost banned in 1905. They adapted.

Football is going to have to adapt again. Kids probably shouldn't be playing tackle football given what we know now. There need to be more rule changes and technology introduced into the youth level if it's going to keep going.

I played football and know a lot of people who were or are involved in football. I regret playing football and would never let any hypothetical kids of mine play. My body is really beat up from it and it wasn't worth it at all. I'm just glad my brain is fine.
 
This is to grow the sport and the coffers of the NFL. While the NFL enjoys unparalleled popularity in the USA internationally it still lags behind several sports. The fastest and best way to grow any sports popularity is to get people playing it. The problem with football is that its not a sport that just anyone can pick up and play and it's not really a sport you can play after a certain age and as we all know from the athleticdepartments debt football is quite expensive. Flag football fixes that you can be young or older and still play it. It's inexpensive to play and it's not that hard to pick up.

They push it hard for the Olympics because again they want to grow football globally. International competition does that. Global participation means more eyes on the sport more eyes means more money
 
JMick said:
Football was almost banned in 1905. They adapted.

Football is going to have to adapt again. Kids probably shouldn't be playing tackle football given what we know now. There need to be more rule changes and technology introduced into the youth level if it's going to keep going.

I played football and know a lot of people who were or are involved in football. I regret playing football and would never let any hypothetical kids of mine play. My body is really beat up from it and it wasn't worth it at all. I'm just glad my brain is fine.
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I’m well aware of the history and how Teddy Roosevelt saved the game of football and put parameters in place.

Of course you have to adapt with the times. I do believe the minimum age should be 13-16. I too played football, not till high school though I had my fair share of injuries and I don’t regret playing it one bit. For ones who regret playing it has also changed lives for the better, life choices.

I do believe taking away 2 a days and contact in practices has led to more injuries, as we have seen in the nfl preseason. The general person just assumes practices are full padded when the majority of the time in practices it’s helmet and shoulder pads and shorts.

Technique being taught such as wrapping up should be the focal point. Of course it’s never gonna be perfect and should continue to be studied.
 
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I can see it as a high school sport for girls.
 
JMick said:
Football was almost banned in 1905. They adapted.

Football is going to have to adapt again. Kids probably shouldn't be playing tackle football given what we know now. There need to be more rule changes and technology introduced into the youth level if it's going to keep going.

I played football and know a lot of people who were or are involved in football. I regret playing football and would never let any hypothetical kids of mine play. My body is really beat up from it and it wasn't worth it at all. I'm just glad my brain is fine.
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Football isn't going anywhere. It's by far the most lucrative professional sport and by far the most popular high school sport.
 
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superjohn said:
Football isn't going anywhere. It's by far the most lucrative professional sport and by far the most popular high school sport.
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Probably. But attendance, NFL and high school games has been declining over the last 10 years.
 
Indiana has a girls flag football league. It was added to the list of approved sports either last year or this.
 
It’s rise in popularity nationwide has been remarkable
 
temery said:
Probably. But attendance, NFL and high school games has been declining over the last 10 years.
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I don't believe that's accurate. Can you provide your source?
 
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temery said:
ChatGPT
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Screenshot_20250720_210047_Chrome.jpg
Screenshot_20250720_210058_Chrome.jpg
 
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Girls' flag football has taken off in California; Most schools have teams.

There are even some co-ed flag football teams around here.
 
The NFL is spending a lot of money on flag football and they will keep spending. I think it's a brilliant play by the NFL. Flag football does two things for the NFL:
  • I don't know the numbers and don't care enough to research, but there was definitely concern from parents letting their boys play tackle football at any age. It may not show in all areas, but in my town there has been a serious drop in participation and uptick in lacrosse. Less kids playing can impact the talent pool making it to the NFL, but also the interest level. Flag football will look enough like football to keep that connection to the sport, and also allow talented kids to stay in the pipeline without hitting until they're older.
  • It absolutely brings girls to the table. My daughter doesn't watch any football. She grew up playing soccer (she watches pro/national soccer) and basketball (watches a little basketball). If she played flag football, I could see her being more interested in the NFL.
So who is going to take the hit when flag football gets more national traction? I'd think it'll be spread out. Tackle football will lose a bit, but I don't think much. Lacrosse has become a year-round sport, but it's primary season is spring, so it shouldn't lose too much (but the parasite clubs will lose players). Soccer could take a big hit though.
 
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