Flag Football’s Startup Moment: Building a Global Sport for LA28

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  "date": "2026-03-18",
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      "details": "Diana Flores is the Captain and Quarterback of Mexico’s World Champion National Flag Football team. Flores also serves as a highly sought after game analyst and sports broadcaster for major networks like FOX Deportes and Univision, including coverage of Super Bowl LVIII. Working alongside the NFL and the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) as the sport’s Global Ambassador, Flores seeks to advance Flag’s reach internationally.\r\rA flag football superstar, Flores has competed in numerous national and international tournaments, representing Mexico on the world stage. She has won several awards and accolades throughout her career, including four National Titles since 2017, a Bronze World Cup Medal in 2016, a Silver Medal in 2021, Best Offensive Player at the World Flag Football Championship in Panama in 2018, and was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) at the 2022 World Games where she led her team to a Gold Medal.\r\rFlores was also recently recognized by FORBES MAGAZINE in their prestigious “30 Under 30″ List for the Class of 2024. She also served as the Offensive Coordinator for the AFC at the 2023 NFL Pro Bowl Games – alongside head coach, Peyton Manning— and was the featured star in the NFL’s Super Bowl LVII advertisement, “Run With It,” which won an Emmy in 2023.",
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      "details": "Drew Brees is the former 2009 Super Bowl MVP-winning quarterback for the New Orleans\rSaints. A native of Austin, TX, Brees attended Westlake High School and earned his Bachelor’s\rdegree in Industrial Management from Krannert School of Management at Purdue University,\rwhile lettering in football from 1997-2000. Drew went on to play five years with the San Diego\rChargers and fifteen years with the New Orleans Saints. He has been elected to 13 Pro Bowls\rwhile being named 2004 Comeback Player of the Year, 2006 All-Pro Team, 2006 Walter Payton\rNFL Man of the Year, 2008 and 2011 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and Super Bowl XLIV\rChampion and MVP.\r\rAs much pride as Brees takes in his on-field performance, he takes even more pride in his\rcommunity service endeavors. Drew and his wife, Brittany, established the Brees Dream\rFoundation in 2003 and since then have contributed over $50,000,000 to help improve the\rquality of life for cancer patients and provide care, education and opportunities for children and\rfamilies in need. In addition to his personal foundation, Drew has co-founded SHIELD 1\rFoundation to address the greatest needs in our communities including but not limited to\rhousing, healthcare, education, business opportunity, economic development, urban\rfarming, support of HBCUs, social justice and legislative reform.\r\rBrees is a proud partner of the GBX Group, Jimmy Johns, Walk-Ons Enterprises, Football N\rAmerica, Smalls Sliders, and Franworth. He participates as a Board Member for Surf Sports,\rStretch Zone, Franworth and formerly with the NFLPA and President’s Council for Fitness,\rSports and Nutrition.\r\rBrees has also proudly participated in five USO trips visiting Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany,\rTurkey, Djibouti, Dubai, Okinawa, and Guantanamo Bay. Drew currently lives with his wife\rBrittany and children Baylen, Bowen, Callen and Rylen in San Diego, CA.",
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  "description": "Football is a cultural institution in America – it’s even taken over its own day of the week. But at the same time, its newest form, flag football, is still in its early stages. With the sport’s forthcoming debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, flag football is at an inflection point, scaling from community and high school leagues to the world’s biggest sporting stage.\n \nIn many ways, flag football is operating like a startup inside one of the world’s biggest legacy organizations. It has the agility, accessibility and grassroots appeal of a disruptive product, while also having the NFL’s platform and resources to help it scale.\n \nThis session will explore how the sport is growing internationally, why it resonates with the next generation of athletes, and what lessons innovators can take off the field by learning about what it takes to create the next Olympic sport.",
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  "long_description": "Football is a cultural institution in America – it’s even taken over its own day of the week. But at the same time, its newest form, flag football, is still in its early stages. With the sport’s forthcoming debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, flag football is at an inflection point, scaling from community and high school leagues to the world’s biggest sporting stage.\n \nIn many ways, flag football is operating like a startup inside one of the world’s biggest legacy organizations. It has the agility, accessibility and grassroots appeal of a disruptive product, while also having the NFL’s platform and resources to help it scale.\n \nThis session will explore how the sport is growing internationally, why it resonates with the next generation of athletes, and what lessons innovators can take off the field by learning about what it takes to create the next Olympic sport.",
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  "sort": "FLAG FOOTBALL?S STARTUP MOMENT: BUILDING A GLOBAL SPORT FOR LA28",
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