Flag Football

Sell your flag football league.

Flag football is one of the fastest-growing youth sports in the country. NFL Flag adoption, Olympic inclusion in 2028, and steady migration away from tackle have created a durable tailwind that shows up in registration numbers and in what buyers are willing to pay. If you have built a league, a tournament brand, or a regional operator, this is a strong window to understand what you have.

The Window

Why now

  • Participation is compounding. Rec leagues, school programs, and 7v7 tournament circuits are all growing off the same demographic base.
  • Families view flag as safer, cheaper, and more accessible than tackle. That perception is bringing new households into the sport every season.
  • Sponsors and municipalities are actively looking for well-run flag partners. That access is worth real money in a sale.
  • Capital is paying attention. Multiples on well-run flag operators have moved up two full turns over the last three seasons.
Drivers

What lifts your multiple

Registration growth over three years

Buyers pay for the trend line, not the single-season snapshot. Consistent double-digit growth is the single biggest multiplier we see.

Field access you control

Owned fields, long-term leases, and durable municipal permits are worth more than any brand. Access is the moat.

Ancillary revenue mix

Tournaments, camps, clinics, and sponsorships broaden the base and lift the multiple. Registration-only businesses trade lower.

Operational independence

A league that runs a full season without the founder in the room every week is worth substantially more than one that does not.

Drags

What suppresses it

Concentrated field risk

One municipal contract that renews annually is a single point of failure. Buyers will price the risk in.

Manual back office

Registration on paper, cash at the gate, and rosters in a shared drive all suppress the multiple. Software integration lifts value fast.

Founder-dependent scheduling

If schedules, referees, and coach communication all route through one phone, that dependency becomes a diligence issue.

Comps

Recent comparables

Regional rec league, ~$400K revenue, single-field permit
Solid growth but concentrated field access limits the top end.
$0.9M — $1.4M
Multi-town rec + travel, ~$900K revenue, mixed ancillary
Diversified revenue and light founder dependency drive a premium multiple.
$2.4M — $3.6M
Tournament operator + rec, ~$1.6M revenue, owned field
Owned facility plus tournament brand puts this near the top of the range.
$4.8M — $6.8M

Comps are illustrative. Every valuation depends on the specific operational profile of your league. Use these as a starting point, not a benchmark.

The Process

From first call to close

  1. 1. Directional valuation

    Start with our valuation engine. You get a defensible range in about five minutes, grounded in sport-specific multiples and the operational drivers that actually move the number.

  2. 2. Discovery call

    A single 45-minute conversation to understand what you have built, what you want next, and what a good outcome looks like for you, your staff, and your families.

  3. 3. Confidential review

    We sign a mutual NDA and walk through registration history, revenue detail, facility agreements, and staffing. Nothing leaves the room. Nothing gets shopped.

  4. 4. Written offer

    A clear letter of intent with structure, transition plan, and role for you if you want one. Most owners choose to stay involved through at least one season.

  5. 5. Close and transition

    Legal, diligence, and a hand-off plan we design together. Families, staff, and sponsors hear a consistent story. The league keeps running.

Questions

Questions we hear most

What is a typical flag football league worth?

Most well-run flag operators trade between 2.5 and 4.5 times seller's discretionary earnings, with the higher end reserved for organizations with owned or long-term field access, diversified revenue, and a management layer that operates without the founder day to day.

Do I have to stop coaching or running the league after a sale?

No. Most owners we work with stay involved through at least one full season and many continue in a coaching, brand, or advisory role indefinitely. The right structure is designed around what you want next, not a template.

Will my families and coaches know the league was sold?

We help you write the message and time the announcement. In most cases the transition is invisible to families for the first season. Program, staff, and cadence stay the same.

How long does the process take?

From first conversation to close is typically 60 to 120 days for a well-organized league. Deals with more diligence surface area or facility complexity take longer.

What documents will I need?

Registration history for the last three years, a clean revenue and expense breakdown, facility agreements, staffing structure, and any sponsor or partnership contracts. If any of that lives in your head, we help you get it on paper.

Next Step

Value your flag football league.

Five minutes of inputs. A defensible range you can take into any conversation.