The NFL won't be the only professional football league returning to the field -- and TV and streaming services -- in 2021.
The American Flag Football League (AFFL) has reached a multiyear agreement with CBS Sports to begin broadcasting games this fall, CBSSports.com learned this week. Launched in 2017 with the help of Michael Vick and other former NFL veterans, the league has pitted national tournament finalists against pro players in what CEO Jeffrey Lewis once deemed the "American Idol" of flag football.
In August, CBS Sports Network will broadcast four live AFFL games, including the 2021 tournament's Men's Final and the inaugural Women's Division Final. Both CBS and CBS Sports Network will also carry AFFL content throughout the season, with CBS hosting a 60-minute special broadcast highlighting the best moments of the season.
"The flag football community has been ready for their close-up for some time," Lewis, the AFFL founder, said in a statement. "We appreciate CBS Sports giving us the opportunity to share the fast-paced, intense game of flag with the widest possible audience."
The AFFL has featured a number of former NFL players since its inception, including Vick, Terrell Owens, Chad Johnson, Vince Young and Danny Wuerfel. Its 2021 season officially begins this summer, with $200,000 prizes for the men's and women's divisions. It previously aired on NFL Network.
CBS Sports Network, which will carry games beginning in August, can be streamed online at CBSSports.com, as well as through various connected devices.
