The National Football League has selected TMRW Sports, the sports and entertainment venture founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, to operate its modern professional flag football league. The decision, reported Thursday by multiple outlets including Golfweek and Reuters, comes after the NFL team owners approved a $32 million investment in December to launch the competition.
TMRW Sports emerged as the frontrunner from a field of approximately twelve groups vying for the operational partnership, according to Sportico. The company is currently operating the TGL, an indoor golf league utilizing advanced technology, which is in its second season. Earlier this year, TMRW announced the creation of WTGL, a women’s golf league in partnership with the LPGA, with Trybe Ventures, co-founded by soccer star Alex Morgan, as a lead capital partner.
The NFL’s move toward a professional flag football league is part of a broader strategy to grow the sport’s reach. Flag football was the centerpiece of this year’s NFL Pro Bowl and is slated to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. The league has successfully advocated for the inclusion of flag football in the Olympics.
TMRW Sports’ involvement is not unexpected, given the existing ties between its investors and the NFL. Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank is a significant financial backer of TMRW Sports and has been a visible attendee at TGL matches. Vikings owner Mark Wilf, along with NFL players Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills and Tony Romo, a former Dallas Cowboys quarterback, are likewise investors in the venture.
The NFL intends to launch the flag football league as a single entity, with the potential for future franchise sales, according to the Sports Business Journal. The league is continuing to seek additional investors to support the initiative. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has stated the league aims to have the competition operational “in the next couple of years.”
