The National Football League has been working on making its own official soccer league for a long time, lining up a killer line-up of investors and teaming up with TMRW Sports to launch the league, which will include women’s and men’s teams.
The NFL announced the deals on Monday, with TMRW (known as the TGL Golf League) serving as operating partner. Investors will include Silver Lake Ariel Investments/Project Level, Bessemer Venture Partners, Blue Pool Capital, and Dynasty Equity, with famous athletes also joining the cap table, including Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Serena Williams, Billie Jean King, Joe Montana, and Alex Morgan, among many others.
Media and sponsorship deals are still being worked out, as are details regarding the timing of the launch, although sources said the NFL would like to develop the league and get it up and running before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which would include soccer as a sport for both women and men. Visibility from matches is expected to be a big driver for the emerging league.
The NFL’s venture arm is contributing up to $32 million to start the league. It is not immediately clear how much capital other investors are contributing.
Football is seen as a major growth opportunity for the NFL, providing an entry point for women and girls to play sports in a meaningful way, and to give options to families or individuals who are concerned about the full-contact nature of the main product, with concerns about injuries and concussions known at this stage.
Television networks and streaming services are said to be salivating over the prospect of the league and wary of it, depending on who you ask. There is real demand from marketers for more high-level women’s sports, and the new league will be a good fit for this venture. At the same time, there is concern that the NFL could take advantage of a looming media rights renegotiation to secure space for the fledgling league, which could increase pressure on legacy media companies already under financial pressure.
“As the flag football movement continues its tremendous global growth, the Professional Flag League continues the path for elite athletes to compete at every level of the game, from youth to high school and college, to the Olympic stage, and now at the professional level,” said Troy Vincent Sr., NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations. “This has special meaning for the girls and young women who are helping to drive the growth of the sport around the world and who can now see their dreams in this game extend to the professional level. Choosing TMRW Sports represents an important step in our long-term commitment to growing football and supporting the world-class athletes who drive its momentum.”
Mike McCarley, founder and CEO of TMRW Sports, added: “For more than three decades, the NFL has invested significantly in soccer at the grassroots level, including youth, high school and college. Now with soccer’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, TMRW Sports shares a vision with the NFL to strengthen fan base and engagement around the world by developing a professional soccer league.” “As the elite competitive level of football, this league will mark a new era for the sport as the best competition in the world with a fast-paced format that aligns with the evolving media consumption of today’s sports fans.”
