via Reuters
The Olympic Rings monument is seen outside the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) headquarters near the National Stadium, the main stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games that have been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Tokyo, Japan June 23, 2021 on the day to mark one month until the opening of the Olympic Games. REUTERS/Issei Kato
via Reuters
The Olympic Rings monument is seen outside the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) headquarters near the National Stadium, the main stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games that have been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Tokyo, Japan June 23, 2021 on the day to mark one month until the opening of the Olympic Games. REUTERS/Issei Kato
The Olympics is a worldwide sporting event that welcomes nations from all over the world to compete against each other. It is a sporting event that makes new legends and records while elevating them to legendary status.
In the meantime, the competition continuously expands itself every four years. The latest 2020 Tokyo Olympics saw the introduction of five new sports events, naming skateboarding, surfing, karate, softball, and baseball.
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Now, there are talks of the NFL introducing flag football to the mix. With plans of expanding the sport to a global audience, they feel the Olympics is the best way to improve the outreach.
Flag football for the 2028 Summer Olympics?
The sport of football is very popular in the United States. However, the reach of the sport is very limited. With the expansion programs, it would be great for the league and the sport. The revenue generated from a global audience would be incredible.
The Chief operating officer of NFL international Damani Leech plans to introduce flag football to the Olympics. A sport that is similar to American football, they believe it will be the forerunner to attract more audiences to the game. The NFL is looking to get the Olympic authorities to look up the sport and see what can be done.
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“We’ve got to make the game matter. If flag football becomes an Olympic sport, more countries will invest in playing that sport.”
It is going to be an invitation sport for the 2022 World Games. Even though the NFL is very famous, American football is not a recognized Olympic sport since 1932. Hence, they look to attract new fans to improve the marketability of the league.
Introducing NFL to a global audience
The 2022 Super Bowl in Los Angeles saw NFL-hosted exhibition flag football games between the US and Mexico. Leech talked about the prospects of getting new fans as they are targeting around 50 million new fans outside the US, in the next 10 years.
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“I think they were impressed by the speed of it. It’s position-less football where everyone is a receiver, and everyone is a quarterback. You see the speed of it, and it’s entertaining,” said Leech.
via Reuters
American Football – NFL – Super Bowl LVI – Cincinnati Bengals v Los Angeles Rams – SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California, United States – February 13, 2022 Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow is sacked REUTERS/Mike Segar
Getting new sports in the Olympics is a great initiative for everyone involved. It attracts a global audience, as well as, generates revenue for the sport. Whether it materializes is something we must wait for. Do you think the expansion can improve?
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