Starting a League
The following is a suggested registration timeline for starting your NFL FLAG League. Please note that these are only guidelines and should be modified to fit your league’s schedule. As always, we suggest that you leave ample time to complete all registration steps and will not be held liable for any delays in the process as a result of following these guidelines.
NFL FLAG Program Timeline
- 12-14+ weeks prior to league beginning: Log onto NFL FLAG website, register yourself as a League Organizer and provide basic information for your FLAG League. Request Certificate of Insurance from your insurance company.
- 12+ weeks prior to league beginning: Submit logo application to NFL via the Help Desk. (Application process can take 2 weeks or more to complete, depending on time of year and turnaround time for requested material).
- 10+ weeks prior to league beginning: Upload your leagues COI. Determine how you will handle your league registration. If using the NFL FLAG website, finalize the online registration form. Begin Marketing your NFL FLAG League.
- 14-18+ business days prior to when you want to receive NFL FLAG equipment: Close registration. Order your equipment using the League Organizer Dashboard. Leagues have the option to expedite shipping, with the costs being passed on to the league.
Players’ Ages
NFL FLAG leagues should create teams for boys and girls ages 5 to 17. The age bracket in which a player participates should be determined by the player’s age as of September 1st of the current year. Leagues have the ability to categorize their players into divisions that are best suitable for their community(age, grade, etc), but NFL FLAG recommends the following age brackets:
Age Brackets
A. 5-6 co-ed B. 7-8 co-ed C. 9-11 co-ed D. 12-14 boys E. 12-14 girls F. 15-17 boys G. 15-17 girls.
Seasons
NFL FLAG recognizes two seasons: spring and fall.
Promotion
We suggest promoting spring leagues in mid-January and fall leagues in May or June, with a minimum of 10 weeks of promotional time. NFL FLAG provides a poster for you to download and use to promote your league, as well as the opportunity to use the NFL FLAG logo (if approved by the NFL). Newspaper ads, fliers and local recreation contacts are other good ways to attract players and coaches. Please refer to the Terms and Conditions regarding the use of any NFL logos when creating your own promotional materials.
Cost
The minimum cost to play FLAG Football is $20 per player to cover the cost of uniforms and equipment.
Your organization must decide how much each participant will contribute to cover additional costs, such as coach/referee fees, field maintenance and promotional materials. In past seasons, fees for leagues around the country have ranged from $20 on up.
Equipment
After your league has completed the registration process, you may order and pay for your NFL FLAG equipment. We recommend that you order your equipment at least 10-14 business days prior to your desired delivery date to ensure that your jerseys, flag belts and footballs arrive before your season begins.
Leagues will be charged $20 for each participant. No refunds are allowed, with no exceptions. All participants will be required to purchase a new uniform every year.
NFL FLAG Logo usage
Leagues shall have no right to use the NFL Marks (as defined below) for any purpose whatsoever without the prior written approval of the NFL Entities in each instance (such approval is granted or withheld in the NFL Entities’ sole discretion after a formal logo request process has been initiated by the league organizer). For the purposes of the NFL FLAG Program, “NFL Marks” means the names, symbols, emblems, designs, and colors of the National Football League and the Member Clubs, including, without limitation, the terms “National Football League”, “NFL”, “National Football Conference”, “American Football Conference”, “NFC”, “AFC”, “Super Bowl”, “Pro Bowl”, the NFL Shield design, as well as the full team names, nicknames, helmet designs, uniform designs, logos and slogans of the Member Clubs, the NFLOL logo and design, and any other indicia adopted for commercial purposes by the NFL or any of its Member Clubs.
If you would like to request permission to use the NFL FLAG logo for your league, please Click Here to submit your request via the Help Desk. Please be aware that in order to request approval to use our marks, you must be a current NFL FLAG League in good standing.