USA TODAY and NFL Announce USA TODAY Sports Super 25 Girls Flag Football Poll

Rhea-AI Summary

USA TODAY Sports and the NFL have launched the USA TODAY Sports Super 25 Girls Flag Football High School Poll, ranking the top 25 girls flag football teams in the 2024 fall season. The poll covers seven states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, and Illinois. USA TODAY Network writers will determine an overall Super 25 Champion and highlight top performances in each participating state. The initiative aims to promote girls' flag football, which is rapidly growing globally and was recently included in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The poll results will be published across the USA TODAY Network online and on NFL channels.

Positive

• Partnership between USA TODAY Sports and NFL to promote girls' flag football
• Increased visibility for girls' high school flag football through national rankings
• Potential for growth in girls' flag football participation across more states
• Alignment with global growth of flag football, including its inclusion in the 2028 Olympics

Negative

• None.

Poll Ranks Top 25 Girls Flag Football High School Teams in the Country

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- USA TODAY Sports, part of Gannett Co., Inc. and the National Football League (NFL), announced today the launch of the USA TODAY Sports Super 25 Girls Flag Football High School Poll. The weekly poll ranks the top 25 girls flag football teams competing in the 2024 fall season.

The USA TODAY Sports Super 25 Girls Flag Football poll will be ranked by a panel of USA TODAY Network writers, in coordination with data provided by the NFHS Network, from seven of the 12 sanctioned states that offer girls high school flag football as a fall varsity sport. This season’s poll will include the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia and Illinois. The results will be published across the USA TODAY Network online during the high school football season and published on NFL and NFL club channels online.

“We’re thrilled to partner with the NFL as girls flag football continues to grow across the country,” said Chris Thomas, USA TODAY Network Sports Executive Editor. “The USA TODAY Network is the nation’s premier organization for high school sports coverage, and our Super 25 rankings are an institution — the timing of this partnership couldn’t be better.”

USA TODAY Network writers will determine an overall Super 25 Champion at the end of the fall season and highlight a top performance in each participating state. These Champions will be celebrated in their home market by the local NFL club and highlighted throughout the season during NFL programming.

“This is an amazing opportunity presented by USA TODAY Sports to amplify girls high school flag football on their national platform,” said Stephanie Kwok, vice president of flag football for the NFL. “USA TODAY Sports gives girls high school flag football the exposure it needs to continue sanctioning more states and allow more teams to be a part of the rankings.”

Played by an estimated 20 million people in more than 100 countries across six continents, flag football is a short, fast, non-contact and gender-equal format. It is the most inclusive and accessible format of football, played by people of all ages and genders, with women and girls driving some of the sport’s fastest growth.

Earlier this summer, the NFL Flag Championships saw 2,800 players from around the world compete in Hall of Fame Village in Canton, Ohio. Last week, the NFL also announced the 2025 Pro Bowl Games will return to Orlando, Fl., where the league’s top players will compete in on-field and off-field skills competitions and in an action-packed flag football game at Camping World Stadium. Later this month, elite flag football talent representing 32 nations across five continents will converge on the biggest-ever IFAF World Flag Football Championships in Lahti, Finland.

On October 16, 2023, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted to include Flag Football within the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. This historic decision will continue to legitimize and lend credibility to the sport, enabling these athletes the opportunity to compete on the world’s biggest stage.

To learn more about NFL Flag or find a league near you to get involved in the movement, visit www.nflflag.com.

ABOUT USA TODAY

Since its introduction in 1982, USA TODAY has been a cornerstone of the national media landscape under its recognizable and respected brand. It also serves as the foundation for our newsroom network which allows for content sharing capabilities across our local and national markets. Through USA TODAY, we deliver high-quality, trusted content with a commitment to balanced, unbiased journalism, where and when consumers want to engage. Across our digital platforms we reach an audience of approximately 79 million unique visitors each month (based on December 2023 Comscore Media Metrix®).

ABOUT GANNETT

Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) is a diversified media company with expansive reach at the national and local level dedicated to empowering and enriching communities. We seek to inspire, inform, and connect audiences as a sustainable, growth focused media and digital marketing solutions company. We endeavor to deliver essential content, marketing solutions, and experiences for curated audiences, advertisers, consumers, and stakeholders by leveraging our diverse teams and suite of products to enrich the local communities and businesses we serve. Our current portfolio of trusted media brands includes the USA TODAY NETWORK, comprised of the national publication, USA TODAY, and local media organizations in the United States, and Newsquest, a wholly-owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom. Our digital marketing solutions brand, LocaliQ, uses innovation and software to enable small and medium-sized businesses to grow, and USA TODAY NETWORK Ventures, our events division, creates impactful consumer engagements, promotions, and races.

ABOUT NFL FLAG

NFL Flag is an NFL-licensed property of more than 1,800 locally operated leagues and over 650,000 youth athletes across all 50 states and Canada. NFL Flag is a fun and accessible non-contact program available for girls and boys ages 5-17. Players benefit by being physically active through non-contact, continuous action while learning the fundamentals of football as well as lessons in teamwork and sportsmanship. RCX Sports is the official operator of NFL Flag. Learn more online at nflflag.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240912519312/en/

MEDIA CONTACTS

Gannett | USA TODAY Network

Lark-Marie Antón

Chief Communications Officer

lark@gannett.com

National Football League

Avis Roper

Director, Football Communications

avis.roper@NFL.com

Source: USA TODAY Sports

FAQ

What is the USA TODAY Sports Super 25 Girls Flag Football High School Poll?

It's a weekly ranking of the top 25 girls flag football teams competing in the 2024 fall season, launched by USA TODAY Sports (GCI) and the NFL.

Which states are included in the USA TODAY Sports Super 25 Girls Flag Football Poll?

The poll includes teams from seven states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, and Illinois.

How will the USA TODAY Sports Super 25 Girls Flag Football Poll impact the sport?

The poll aims to increase exposure for girls' high school flag football, potentially leading to more states sanctioning the sport and allowing more teams to be part of the rankings.

Will flag football be included in the Olympics, and how does this relate to Gannett (GCI)?

Yes, flag football will be included in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. This aligns with Gannett's (GCI) initiative to promote the sport through the USA TODAY Sports Super 25 Girls Flag Football Poll.