Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill has attended girls flag football games across the Valley. Whether it’s standing on the sidelines or watching from the stands, there’s an appreciation for the game.
“I’m blown away by the level of competition, especially at the high school level and these girls are just going to get better and better,” Bidwill said. “I’m excited about women’s football being a sport for the 2028 Olympics in L.A. I think we’ve got some girls here in Arizona that are going to be competing for the US team in 2028.”
Flag football has grown exponentially within the last few years. Last year, Mountain View and Mountain Pointe played in the first game sanctioned by the Arizona Interscholastic Association, and just a few weeks ago, the Cardinals were represented by eight teams in Canton at the annual NFL Flag Championships.
As the sport of flag football has grown throughout the country, the Cardinals have had a front row seat to the expansion.
“We’ve been doing this for over 20 years with flag football around our state and building this game, and it’s very similar to tackle football in terms of what it teaches the players with all the great virtues and values around the game,” Bidwill said. “Last year there were about 57 teams around Arizona that were participating. This year there are 104, so it’s exploding in popularity around our state.”
By having these games on television, Bidwill sees this as just the beginning.
“I think we’re going to lead the way with Arizona’s Family Sports and the AIA,” Bidwill said. “I think there are other states that are going to start broadcasting their women’s flag football at the high school level.
“I’m so excited about this and we’ll put a spotlight on these great athletes. Women athletes are getting the attention now, especially watching the Olympics. It’s great to be able to put the attention on high school athletes who may become Olympians down the line.”
With the spotlight comes more opportunities to showcase their talents on the field, the excitement surrounding the sport, and even creative celebrations.
“We’ll definitely have to come up with one once we get a sack or something,” Wilson said.
