Mercyhurst University’s women’s flag football team takes on Roberts Wesleyan University at the school’s stadium in in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Photographer: Daniel Lozada/BloombergFlag Football Teams Are a New Pitch for Small Colleges to Lure Students
Flag football is having a breakout moment — and colleges across the US are leaning in, investing in full-blown programs to attract student athletes and raise their profiles by backing one of the fastest-growing high school sports.
The sport, a speedy, non-contact version of the wildly popular tackle-style American game, has been around for decades, mostly at the youth level, though increasingly in high schools. Now, it’s attracting a burst of interest, with its inclusion at the 2028 Summer Olympics and partnerships with deep-pocketed supporters like the National Football League helping make the case that it’s a sport worth taking seriously.