All Eyes On Flag Football

Ten companies have reportedly responded to an NFL RFP to help “invest and operationalize” a professional flag football league, and superstar investors are already lining up.

April 2, 2025

Ten Companies Respond to NFL’s RFP on Flag League
Ten companies so far have responded to an NFL request for proposals to help “invest and operationalize” a professional flag football league, SBJ sources said, with the deadline for submissions coming later this week.

“It’s clear there’s a lot of interest in a pro flag league,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said at the conclusion of the league’s annual meeting. “We have been getting bids from people who want to invest in that, either financially, or invest in the operation of that. We’re hard at work, and I expect there will be progress soon.”
^{Sports Business Journal}

Serena Williams, Alexis Ohanian Bid on NFL Flag Football
FOS’ Michael McCarthy writes, “The NFL’s planned pro flag football leagues are already attracting superstar investors. Serena Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, have submitted a bid to the league’s request for proposal seeking investors…”

Williams and WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark appeared at a women’s sports panel during this week’s NFL’s owners meetings in Florida.
^{Front Office Sports}

TGL Indoor Golf Hitting a Younger Audience and Already Contemplating Expansion
TMRW Sports already is working with ESPN on a schedule for 2026, though it likely will fall into the January-March window again. Expansion is a strong possibility. One group already is planning to bid for a franchise in Dallas and has put the total investment at $77 million.
^{AP News}

NCAA Tournament Viewership Flat, But Event Likely Headed for a Gain With Strong Final Four
The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament heads into the Final Four this weekend with viewership flat compared to 2024 at the same point, but up 3% from two years ago. When looking across CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV, the four networks are averaging a combined 9.4 million viewers to date. Two years ago, that figure was 9.1 million headed into the Final Four. While the combined viewership is flat compared to 2024, the tourney will almost certainly finish higher with games on CBS this year (plus the fact that each of the teams in the Final Four are No. 1 seeds).
^{Sports Business Journal}

Peter Schrager Signs Multiyear Deal With ESPN
Former NFL Network and Fox Sports insider Peter Schrager signed a multiyear agreement with ESPN, joining the company for an array of roles. He will appear on “Get Up,” “First Take,” “The Pat McAfee Show,” “NFL Live” and “SportsCenter” throughout the year, and his writing will appear on ESPN.com.
^{Sports Business Journal}

Texas A&M Coach Buzz Williams Leaving for Maryland
Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg writes, “Texas A&M coach Buzz Williams is leaving one NCAA tournament team for another. Williams is heading to Maryland to coach the Terrapins after Kevin Willard left for Villanova. Williams has been the head coach at Texas A&M since 2019.

“Both the Aggies and Terrapins were No. 4 seeds in the 2025 NCAA tournament. A&M lost in the second round to No. 5 Michigan while Maryland advanced to the Sweet 16 before losing to No. 1 Florida. The Gators won the West region to make the Final Four.”
^{Yahoo! Sports}

Buccaneers Planning ‘Massive Renovation’ of Raymond James Stadium
Buccaneers co-owner Joel Glazer confirmed that the team is planning a “massive renovation to Raymond James Stadium,” according to Rick Stroud of the TAMPA BAY TIMES. Glazer at the NFL’s annual meetings on Tuesday said that the team is “focused on improving RayJay and evaluating their options for the stadium.”
^{Tampa Bay Times via Sports Business Journal}

A's Begin Sacramento Residency With 18-3 Loss to Cubs
ESPN’s Tim Keown writes, “The clubhouses in Sutter Health Park -- the home of the Athletics for at least the next three seasons -- are located beyond the wall in left-center field, the stadium holds about 14,000 people, and the designated interview room is a corrugated metal shed down the left-field line.

“Those oddities meant little to the fans who filled the place for the A's home opener and first home game away from Oakland since 1967. Fans piled up outside the gates of this heretofore minor league stadium long before they opened, and there was a general feeling of disbelief that this was actually happening. The excitement, however, was no match for the game, which the Chicago Cubs won 18-3 behind 10 extra-base hits, 10 walks and a cycle by catcher Carson Kelly.”
^ESPN

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Why College Basketball Coaches Say the Game No Longer Has the Same Appeal
AP News’ Eddie Pells writes, “Coach after coach, from Miami’s Jim Larrañaga to Virginia’s Tony Bennett to Villanova’s Jay Wright and others have all walked away from the game, saying it no longer holds the appeal it once did. Some specifically blamed the transfer portal for the added stress — Michigan State coach Tom Izzo last week called the portal a ‘urinal’ — and of course the pressure to compete for players with endorsement money, a topic that stretches beyond basketball.”
^{AP News}

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