WIRED | Inside the High-Tech Flag Football League That's Taking on the NFL

[bbobbo]

this is interesting. in the near future, i can see it being a place where older NFL players can keep on playing, and people might actually pay for a cheap ticket to watch guys who still have NFL level skills (like senior PGA).

in the far(ther) future, maybe this is where the NFL will be headed. the tech is definitely cool--being able to track players precisely and record the exact spot of the ball when a "tackle" is made, getting biometric data, etc.



coincidentally, i was at a local park this weekend with my boys and saw that there was a men's flag football game being played on one of the soccer fields. it looked like a league game, with real uniforms and refs. it was pretty competitive--8-on-8, there was blocking, punting, trash talking, and complaining to the ref. everyone seemed fairly athletic. it seemed serious, not just some guys getting together to play for fun. i had no idea these kinds of leagues even existed.
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[Joker]

what? no one wanted to play soccer?

 

[DarrylS]

Organized flag football complete with ref's, leagues and uniforms was big in the 80's, and a favorite for jocks who wanted one more chance.. somehow it faded away. So this is not a new idea, just trying to turn something old into what resembles a video game..

Do not see the appeal, the older game was just for fun this is something they are trying to make money off of.

 

[BTTA]

Here in DC, these games can be found all over the national mall, some with uniforms/refs, etc., others less formal. There is definitely a lot of fun being had, and some of the ability on display is impressive. There are times when I've been on foot or bicycle and actually stopped to watch for a few minutes.

And yes, I can see it growing in popularity, capturing a lot of the athleticism and strategy of the traditional game without the physical collisions.

 

[Raymond]

 

[mikejd]

Kind of interesting to me just because I play in a competitive flag football league now. Refs, blocking, scoreboards, etc. Sweet turf field. It's gets the competitive juices flowing for sure although some people take it a little too seriously.

Having said that, I don't see this becoming all that popular long term. Certainly is isn't "taking on the NFL."

 

[chasa]

what? no one wanted to play soccer?

 

[bbobbo]

Organized flag football complete with ref's, leagues and uniforms was big in the 80's, and a favorite for jocks who wanted one more chance.. somehow it faded away. So this is not a new idea, just trying to turn something old into what resembles a video game..

Do not see the appeal, the older game was just for fun this is something they are trying to make money off of.

Kind of interesting to me just because I play in a competitive flag football league now. Refs, blocking, scoreboards, etc. Sweet turf field. It's gets the competitive juices flowing for sure although some people take it a little too seriously.

Having said that, I don't see this becoming all that popular long term. Certainly is isn't "taking on the NFL."

good points, but the difference between now and the 80s is that the concussion issue is a big deal. the NFL may have no choice but to move in that direction.

if the AFFL can survive long enough (i.e., don't go bankrupt by trying to expand too quickly), they could be a viable competitor to the NFL in the far future.
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[Tony2046]

So a start up Flag Football league has better player and ball tracking technology than a multi billion dollar league?

 

[Tunescribe]

What will all the would-be linemen do? Start a Sumo wrestling league?

 

[SuperStang83]

You'd have to be high to think flag football is a viable alternative to tackle football. The only similarities are that they both throw a football and it pretty much ends there. Flag football leaves so much of the game on the table, such as the tackling, blocking, running people over, brute strength and pretty much rewards quickness and elusiveness. With tackle football all of these attributes are important!

There are some incredible players in the NFL that wouldn't even be considered that good at flag football. Take Gronk for example, surely he is great in the NFL because of his speed and spectacular hands, but what makes him stand out is his ability to break tackles and run through the opposition. Flag football just doesn't seem like an option for me to give up a significant portion of my time to view.

 

[mikejd]

You'd have to be high to think flag football is a viable alternative to tackle football. The only similarities are that they both throw a football and it pretty much ends there. Flag football leaves so much of the game on the table, such as the tackling, blocking, running people over, brute strength and pretty much rewards quickness and elusiveness. With tackle football all of these attributes are important!

There are some incredible players in the NFL that wouldn't even be considered that good at flag football. Take Gronk for example, surely he is great in the NFL because of his speed and spectacular hands, but what makes him stand out is his ability to break tackles and run through the opposition. Flag football just doesn't seem like an option for me to give up a significant portion of my time to view.

I agree that flag is not really a viable alternative to tackle football. But believe me when I say Gronk would be just as devastating in flag football as he is in tackle. Maybe even moreso.

 

[bbobbo]

You'd have to be high to think flag football is a viable alternative to tackle football. The only similarities are that they both throw a football and it pretty much ends there. Flag football leaves so much of the game on the table, such as the tackling, blocking, running people over, brute strength and pretty much rewards quickness and elusiveness. With tackle football all of these attributes are important!

There are some incredible players in the NFL that wouldn't even be considered that good at flag football. Take Gronk for example, surely he is great in the NFL because of his speed and spectacular hands, but what makes him stand out is his ability to break tackles and run through the opposition. Flag football just doesn't seem like an option for me to give up a significant portion of my time to view.

i also agree that flag football isn't currently a viable alternative to tackle football. the big question is whether tackle football in its current form will even exist in 10, 20, 30 years. if the NFL product becomes so watered down in the future in an effort to protect the players' safety, then maybe people will gravitate more towards a football league that is designed from the ground up without any tackling.
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[Brick27]

What will all the would-be linemen do? Start a Sumo wrestling league?

This.

 

[BTTA]

What will all the would-be linemen do? Start a Sumo wrestling league?

Losing 50 pounds and living 10 years longer would be one option.