LOS ANGELES, Oct. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Los Angeles Super Bowl LXI Host Committee (LASBHC), in partnership with the NFL Foundation, Los Angeles Rams, LA84 Foundation and the Play Equity Fund, recently convened the Share the Playbook: LA Flag Football Summit at BMO Stadium. The event brought together more than 100 attendees from more than 40 organizations across youth sports, education, health and philanthropy to explore how flag football can expand opportunities for young people to be active, healthy and connected across the Los Angeles region and inform a forthcoming Regional Landscape Report that will guide future investments and collaboration in the sport.
One of the key pillars of For The Love Of The Game, the Los Angeles Super Bowl LXI Host Committee’s official legacy program, the LA Flag Football Summit created a forum for stakeholders to assess the current state of flag football and identify strategies to increase participation, strengthen support systems and expand access to play as part of a broader effort to advance youth health and wellness.
“One of the most important outcomes of hosting global events like Super Bowl LXI, is to leave a lasting legacy throughout our region,” said Kathryn Schloessman, President & CEO, Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission; CEO, Los Angeles Super Bowl LXI Host Committee. “The LA Flag Football Summit allowed us to identify more opportunities for young people to be active and healthy. The insights generated throughout the day will help shape future investments and build a stronger and more connected ecosystem for youth sports across Los Angeles.”
As Los Angeles prepares to host Super Bowl LXI in 2027 and welcome flag football’s Olympic debut in 2028, the Summit leveraged the momentum of these global events through a series of panel discussions, breakout sessions and keynote conversations, to create lasting community impact and advance youth health and wellness throughout the region.
“With flag football as one of our region’s fastest growing youth sports, the LA Flag Football Summit gathered leaders to ensure we grow the game at the grassroots level, build pathways for all kids to participate, and create new opportunities,” said Renata Simril, President of the Play Equity Fund, and President & CEO of the LA84 Foundation. “The Summit showed us there is a mandate for access and affordability for youth and families to flag football in Los Angeles, with over 40 percent of organizations identifying creating opportunities for girls as a priority. The legacy of Super Bowl LXI will meet this moment and expand participation for youth in local communities far into the future, so flag football continues to grow with collaboration, investment and long-term sustainability.”
The summit featured leaders from City-Wide Sports, Compton Unified School District, the NFL, Woodcraft Rangers, USA Football and Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation on a panel discussing The State of Youth, Health and Flag Football. With emcee Lolita Lopez, NBC4 Anchor, they examined how young people access flag football across schools and community-based programs, highlighted areas of growth, acknowledged barriers to participation, and identified opportunities to better serve youth. The panel set up a topic to explore and raised the question about the future for youth flag football in Los Angeles.
“The LA Flag Football Summit provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen the Rams’ commitment to serving communities and exploring how flag football can advance youth wellness,” said Rams Senior Director of Social Justice and Football Development Johnathan Franklin. “With Los Angeles as the home of Super Bowl LXI and hosting the debut of flag football at the 2028 Olympics, there’s no better time to invest in the pathways the sport can create for young people across the region. Ensuring access to the game is central to our mission at the Rams, and alongside the Los Angeles Super Bowl LXI Host Committee, the NFL Foundation, LA84 Foundation and the Play Equity Fund, we are committed to expanding our impact.”
Following the opening panel, attendees participated in breakout sessions focused on three areas shaping the future of flag football in the region: strengthening coaching and building that pipeline for training, certification, mentorship, retention and clear quality standards; expanding access to facilities, programs and investment; and creating clear pathways for young people to participate and continue the sport throughout their lives, particularly girls and underserved communities.
The Summit concluded with a keynote conversation moderated by Curt Menefee, host of FOX NFL Sunday, with Sam Rapoport, Commissioner of the Grand Slam of Flag (GSF), Ashlea Klam, USA Football Women’s Flag National Team Player and Anelly Alba, Hope International University Flag Football Student-Athlete. The discussion explored the rapid growth of flag football and expanding opportunities for girls.
“The enthusiasm exhibited at the LA Flag Football Summit was just one reason I was proud to be a small part of it,” said Menefee. “The explosion of flag has been astronomical for young women, increasing from 16,000 to more than 100,000 participants at the high school level since 2021. That rapid increase requires more, and better, organizational structure—from coaching, to officiating, to league administrators. To have a place where all could exchange ideas and help each other as the sport continues to grow was phenomenal to witness. While the outside world may be focused on the Olympic debut of Flag Football at the LA games in 2028, those involved aren’t waiting to find ways to improve the sport and the lives of young women who play it more and more each day.”
“As flag football continues to grow, our focus needs to be on not just getting girls into the game, but keeping them in it,” said Rapoport. “That means creating opportunities for girls to develop their skills, compete throughout her childhood, and see a future for themselves in the sport. Through initiatives like GSF, we’re working to elevate elite women’s flag football and create more visibility and opportunities for athletes. Events like the LA Flag Football Summit are important because they bring together the people who can help build those pathways and ensure girls have every reason to stay in the game.”
The findings will help to inform a Regional Landscape Report, which will be published prior to Super Bowl LXI and identify available resources, critical gaps and priorities for coordinated philanthropic investment to create a roadmap for future action and collaboration.
About the Play Equity Fund
The Play Equity Fund was established by the LA84 Foundation as a 501(c)3 public charity, and it removes barriers to ensure all children have access to the transformative power of sport and play. The Play Equity Fund supports the sports-based youth development ecosystem for greater impact, raises awareness of inequities and develops partnerships to advocate for sustainable solutions to ensure all children have pathways through sport for lifelong well-being. Visit playequityfund.org and follow @playequityfund.
About the LA84 Foundation
The LA84 Foundation is a national leader in support of sports in positive youth development. As a legacy of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games, LA84 has supported thousands of organizations in Southern California for over four decades by awarding grants. It has funded infrastructure, trained coaches and commissioned research. The LA84 campus includes one of the world’s best sports libraries, with a digital collection that documents history and an understanding of the value of physical activity. The LA84 Foundation addresses critical issues by elevating involvement in youth sports and play as a pathway to lifelong well-being for all kids. Visit la84.org, and follow @LA84Foundation.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/77c49633-547f-4ba1-8841-8b06a9059e10
