NEW YORK – September 7, 2022 – The XFL today announced a partnership with Under the Lights Flag Football (“Under the Lights”), an international youth flag football league for boys and girls from kindergarten through 12th grade. Through this partnership, the XFL will support Under the Light’s mission of empowering youth athletes and expanding player opportunity, while also further integrating within football-loving communities, including seven of the XFL’s eight local markets that Under the Lights is already established.
As part of this new partnership, the XFL and Under the Lights are co-hosting the first-ever Youth Flag Football World Championships on December 27-30, 2022 in San Antonio, TX (youthflagchampionships.com).
“We’ve built the XFL to be a league deeply-rooted in culture, passion and opportunity. We’re excited to be partnering with Under the Lights, who are committed to our shared belief that inclusion and empowerment can not only advance the game of football, but also further bridge the gap between drive and accessibility,” said Dany Garcia, Chairwoman and Owner of the XFL. “There are such clear and natural synergies between the XFL brand and Under the Lights – steadfast commitment to our communities, diverse and robust engagement opportunities and at the forefront: an unwavering love for football. By investing in our youth, we can ignite the passion for the next generation of athletes.”
With operations spanning across North America and an average annual growth rate of over 60% since its founding in 2015, Under the Lights is one of the fastest growing international youth sports leagues. Youth flag football has enjoyed rapid growth in recent years, including a growing percentage of female athletes who compete in all-girls leagues and co-ed teams in Under the Lights. Under the Lights currently has over 80,000 athletes (boys & girls) grades K- 12, with a strong footprint across the U.S. and Canada, with further international expansion plans.
“I love our XFL and Under the Lights partnership and all the phenomenal opportunities that it will bring us,” said Dwayne Johnson, Owner of the XFL. “But the most important opportunity that this partnership will bring, is creating an environment and culture for our kids that is fueled by hard work, discipline, and a whole lot of fun. We at the XFL can’t wait to create amazing memories that will last forever for our young athletes as they pursue their football dreams.”
The XFL will kick off on February 18, 2023 in partnership with its exclusive broadcast partner, The Walt Disney Company and ESPN. Season ticket deposits are available online for all teams at XFL.com/tickets.
For more information, visit XFL.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
About XFL
The XFL’s ownership group—led by Dany Garcia, Dwayne Johnson, and Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital Partners—is building a fan-first, fast-paced global professional football league with innovative rules and an enhanced 360-game experience. The XFL will bring entertainment to world-class football, with the goal of advancing football and expanding player opportunities when it launches in February 2023.
About Under the Lights
Under the Lights, which has a long-standing brand relationship with Under Armour, is owned and operated by OneTeam Youth, LLC. OneTeam Partners, a majority owner of OneTeam Youth, is a joint venture between the NFL Players Association, MLB Players Association, and RedBird Capital Partners.
