The NFL has chosen TMRW Sports—the sports venture backed by Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and a handful of NFL owners and players—to be its operational partner for a new league, according to multiple people familiar with the negotiations.
Best known for its indoor golf league TGL, TMRW Sports emerged from a competitive bid process that included roughly a dozen other groups, said the people, who were granted anonymity because the details are private.
Flag football has become a large priority for the NFL; the league is optimistic that the flag format could attract more football participants both in the U.S. and abroad. During virtual league meetings in December, owners voted to invest up to $32 million, via its equity arm, to support the development and launch of a pro flag league. The group was also authorized to enter into an agreement with a partner to operate that league.
It’s unclear whether the contracts are all signed, or exactly how hands-on the NFL will be in the new endeavor. An NFL spokesman declined to comment on the status of its search but said in a statement that “we’ve made a tremendous amount of progress in one year, and the league is moving forward.”
A representative for TMRW Sports confirmed the group’s interest in flag football overall, but declined to comment on the talks with the NFL. The TGL women’s league is on track to launch this winter.
TMRW Sports was founded in 2022 by Woods, McIlroy and Mike McCarley. The group has a long list of backers from across sports including Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Minnesota Vikings owner Mark Wilf and Washington Commanders minority owner David Blitzer. Current and former NFL players on the cap table include Josh Allen, Larry Fitzgerald and Tony Romo.
Flag football doesn’t carry the same head injury concerns that worry many parents, it’s easier to adapt to smaller rosters and it’s grown popular among young women who wouldn’t otherwise play the sport. Participation in the U.S. grew 15% from 2019 through 2024, according to data from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.
The NFL’s dedication to the sport has grown in multiple ways. Super Bowl week featured a flag football Pro Bowl, a celebrity flag game and an exhibition match between the U.S. and Mexican flag teams. The league pushed—successfully—to have the sport added to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and has granted players approval to play in the Olympics. NFL teams have also issued grants to help launch collegiate programs.
“We are developing the infrastructure to accelerate the game’s growth to new heights by creating a clear pathway for aspiring athletes to progress from youth and high school programs through college and now to the professional level,” NFL exec Troy Vincent said at the time of the December vote. “We look forward to forming a partnership to bring this vision to life and deliver a world-class professional flag football experience for elite athletes and fans alike.”
Bloomberg reported in December that TMRW and Curtis Martin’s group, which included Avenue Capital’s Marc Lasry, were the two finalists in the NFL’s process. Others engaged in the process, the report said, included TKO Group, SMAC Entertainment, Connect Ventures and Alexis Ohanian’s 776 investment firm.
Other groups have made attempts at a pro or semi-pro flag football circuit. The American Flag Football League, for example, launched in 2016 and was originally planning a more comprehensive 2024 men’s pro debut, but that did not happen.
