ATLANTA, GA — [September 17, 2025] — RCX Sports today announced a new partnership with the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles (LA Y), the Los Angeles Chargers, and the Los Angeles Rams to expand access to youth sports in the city. Together, the organizations will launch NFL FLAG football leagues across LA Y centers beginning in Fall 2025, creating new opportunities for more than 700 young athletes in the first year alone. The partnership underscores the growing momentum behind flag football, particularly with the sport’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. For local families, the partnership enables kids to play the same game that will take the global stage just blocks from their own neighborhoods.
The partnership will officially kick off in October 2025 with an NFL FLAG event in Los Angeles, with registration currently open and the first season running from October 27-December 13.
“As we look toward the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, this partnership represents both an unprecedented chance to grow the game of flag football while also creating accessible and affordable opportunities for kids and families in the great Los Angeles,” says Izell Reese, CEO of RCX Sports. “Having the support of both the Chargers and the Rams shows young athletes that the teams they look up to are invested in them. Together with the LA Y, we’re ensuring that every child has the opportunity to play, belong, and thrive through sports.”
“Flag football is the most accessible entry point to our game — it’s fun, inclusive, and accessible for athletes of all ages and abilities,” said Stephanie Kwok, NFL VP and Head of Flag Football. “As the world turns its attention to flag football’s debut on the Olympic stage here in Los Angeles in 2028, this partnership will ensure that kids and families across the region can take part in the experience and help shape this monumental moment for the sport.”
As part of the partnership, RCX Sports, the leader in youth sports experiences, will supply officially licensed Chargers- and Rams-branded NFL FLAG uniforms, offer professional-grade training and resources for coaches, and provide turnkey support for YMCA league operators. RCX Sports is the official operator of NFL FLAG, an NFL-licensed property of more than 2,000 locally operated leagues with nearly 800,000 athletes across all 50 states.
“At the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, people don’t just work out or just play a sport – they find their community and build lifelong skills and memories,” says Victor Dominguez, President & CEO, YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles. “By bringing NFL FLAG into our LA Y centers, with the support of RCX Sports, the LA Chargers and Los Angeles Rams, we’re not just giving youth access to a fun, affordable sport — we’re fostering safe spaces where they can build key skills like teamwork and resilience, while developing confidence and connection. This collaboration helps the Y continue to ensure that families across the region can experience the lasting benefits of sports, regardless of their background.”
In its first year, NFL FLAG leagues will be offered at 7 LA Y centers, reaching more than 700 participants ages 6–14. Throughout the course of the partnership, RCX Sports, the Chargers, and the Rams will invest in program growth and sustainability, with an annual flagship NFL FLAG activation planned in Los Angeles to drive participation and awareness leading into LA28.
The YMCA represents one of the most transformative partners for expanding NFL FLAG. Today, NFL FLAG is the top youth sports program across YMCAs nationwide, with lifetime participation reaching more than 150,000 athletes and +40% year-over-year growth. RCX Sports and the YMCA footprint now spans 35 states plus Canada. This national momentum highlights the opportunity to accelerate growth in California, where demand is high and the YMCA’s reach provides unmatched access to families in local communities.
“The Los Angeles Chargers are committed to creating access, building community and investing in youth football,” said Chargers Senior Director of Football Development Zac Emde. “With the Olympic Games coming to LA in 2028 and flag football set to make its debut, there has never been a more exciting time to grow the game in our own backyard as we continue to champion girls’ flag, youth flag, and tackle football on all levels. Through this partnership with RCX Sports, the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, and the Rams, we are proud to continue investing in the future of our community and to help create lasting opportunities for the next generation.”
“This partnership allows the Rams to expand our commitment to growing the game of football by providing access and opportunity for all youth across Los Angeles,” said Los Angeles Rams Senior Director of Social Justice and Football Development Johnathan Franklin. “Collaborating with these organizations allows us to maximize the transferable skills flag football fosters, encouraging them to dream beyond their current reality. With flag football debuting on the Olympic stage in Los Angeles in 2028, the Rams are committed to sharing pathways for local youth to compete at the highest level in flag football on home soil.”
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About RCX Sports
RCX Sports is the leader in youth sports experiences, serving as the official operating partner of premier youth leagues for the NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, MLS, MLB, and USTA. Founded with a mission to make sports accessible, equitable, and fun for all, RCX Sports partners with professional leagues, national governing bodies, and community organizations to reimagine the future of play. Recognized by Front Office Sports as one of the Most Innovative Companies in Sport in 2025, RCX is the only multi-sport organization trusted by professional leagues and governing bodies to represent them at scale. Through nationwide programming, events, and community-driven initiatives, RCX continues to expand opportunities for young athletes to participate and benefit from the transformative power of sports. For more information, visit rcxsports.com.
About YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles
The LA Y is the Center for Community Well-Being in Los Angeles, committed to building stronger communities by providing equitable programs and services to empower all. We are focused on fighting food insecurity, providing equity in education, making sure every child has the opportunity to experience the joy of sports, ensuring kids and teens have a safe place to grow, learn and live a healthy lifestyle. The LA Y’s health and wellness initiatives offer medical and mental health resources to ensure everyone has access to basic health needs. Our mission is to provide services and resources that contribute to the well-being of our community. Visit ymcaLA.org for more information. More on Facebook or Instagram.
About Los Angeles Chargers
Now in their 66th season in Southern California, the Chargers continue to stretch the imagination and put on the most exciting show in football. But don’t let the idyllic West Coast setting and iconic powder blue uniforms – widely regarded as the NFL’s best – fool you. Behind the dramatic games, unforgettable highlights, beloved players and groundbreaking performances lies an uncompromising drive for success; one rooted in toughness, resilience and good old-fashioned hard work. Established in Los Angeles in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League, the team played in San Diego from 1961 to 2016 and advanced to five of the first six AFL Championship games, capturing the 1963 title. Joining the National Football League when the two leagues merged in 1970, the Chargers have since claimed an additional 10 division titles and appeared in Super Bowl XXIX. Owned by the Spanos family since 1984, the Chargers returned to Los Angeles in 2017, opened their multi-billion-dollar SoFi Stadium home in 2020, moved into their new quarter-billion-dollar El Segundo training facility in the heart of Los Angeles’ South Bay in 2024 and continue to redefine what an NFL franchise looks like in the 21st century. Learn more at www.chargers.com and follow us on Instagram,Twitter and YouTube.
About Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams – Los Angeles’ original professional sports team and Super Bowl LVI Champions – stand as one of the oldest franchises in the National Football League and since its founding in 1937, have garnered four World Championships and sent 30 of its members to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As a professional sports team, the organization is committed to be a valuable civic partner and serving the greater Los Angeles area 365 days a year. The Rams play their home games at SoFi Stadium, which is located at Hollywood Park, a 298-acre sports and entertainment destination owned, being developed and operated by Los Angeles Rams Owner/Chairman E. Stanley Kroenke in Inglewood, CA.
About NFL FLAG
NFL FLAG is an NFL-licensed property of more than 2,000 locally operated leagues and over 765,000 youth athletes across all 50 states. NFL FLAG is a fun and accessible non-contact program available for girls and boys ages 5-17. Players benefit by being physically active through non-contact, continuous action while learning the fundamentals of football as well as lessons in teamwork and sportsmanship. RCX Sports is the official operator of NFL FLAG.
