Gridiron Football

What Gridiron Football does

Gridiron Football is a privately-held youth sports platform founded in 2020 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, operating as a nationally-recognized provider of non-contact flag and 7v7 football leagues, camps, and tournaments for boys and girls ages 4 through 17. The company delivers programming through a franchise-style League Commissioner network of 175+ independently-operated local leagues across the United States, supplemented by the G Series national tournament circuit, the Gridiron Academy (an elite player identification and college-recruitment platform for high school female athletes), and a direct-to-consumer Pro Shop for branded merchandise and equipment. The underlying technology stack centers on a centralized registration and league management system with an interactive League Finder map, the Gridiron Standard Operating Platform provided to commissioners, and a tournament operations layer integrated with Zorts Sports.

The business model is multi-stream and consumer-direct: (1) recurring league registration fees (location-dependent, not publicly disclosed), (2) transaction-based tournament entry fees via the G Series, (3) DTC e-commerce revenue through the Pro Shop, and (4) custom uniform revenue via a Big League Shirts partnership priced at $36 per jersey or $50 per uniform set. Customer segments are predominantly long-tail SMB consumers (parents, youth athletes, volunteer coaches), with an operator-side segment (League Commissioners) that functions as a quasi-B2B distribution layer. Strategic partnerships span equipment and apparel brands (Baden, Battle, adidas, Big League Shirts, National Football Academies) and the institutional layer of the sport (Every Kid Sports for financial aid, plus NCAA/NAIA/NJCAA college flag football programs for Gridiron Academy).

Name

Gridiron Football

Legal name

Gridiron Football

Website

https://gridironfb.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Gridiron Football is a Dallas-based, privately-held youth sports platform operating 175+ non-contact flag and 7v7 football leagues for children ages 4-17, complemented by a national tournament series (G Series) and a female-athlete college-recruitment academy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Football Leagues & Sports Programs

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Spectator Sports (71121), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sport-Specific Amateur Leagues & Circuits (Non-Professional) (MPAKACAJ), Youth & Amateur Sports Tournaments (MPAGAMAF)

Keywords

• Youth flag football leagues
• 7v7 football tournaments
• Youth sports franchise
• Flag football academies
• Youth athletic development

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. League Registration Fees: Primary revenue stream from player registration fees across 175+ local leagues. Fees vary by location and program (recreational vs. competitive). Early registration discounts offered. Multi-player/sibling discounts available at some locations.
2. Pro Shop Merchandise Sales: Direct-to-consumer e-commerce sales of branded merchandise including uniforms, sweatshirts, hats, footballs, mouthguards, gloves, and equipment bundles. Products sourced from partners including Baden, Battle, and adidas.
3. Tournament Registration Fees: Revenue from regional and national G Series tournament entries. Teams pay to compete in age-based divisions (6U through 18U) across flag football and 7v7 formats.
4. Custom Uniform Sales: Partnership with Big League Shirts offering custom team uniforms at $36 per jersey or $50 per uniform set (jersey + shorts), with team branding and personalization options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Gridiron Football operates a nationwide network of 175+ non-contact youth football leagues — including 5v5 flag football and 7v7 football programs for children ages 4–17 — through a franchise-style League Commissioner model. It supplements local league play with the G Series regional and national tournament circuit, the Gridiron Academy for high school female athletes pursuing collegiate scholarships, branded Pro Shop merchandise, and a Custom Uniform Builder. The offering bundles professionally produced Game Day experiences with centralized registration, training resources for volunteer coaches, and player progression pathways from beginner fundamentals through elite competitive play.

Product overview

Gridiron Football operates a multi-product youth sports platform centered on non-contact football programs. The core offerings consist of 5v5 Flag Football and 7v7 Football leagues for boys and girls ages 4-17, supplemented by the G Series National Tournament Series for elite competition and the Gridiron Academy for high school female athletes pursuing collegiate scholarships. The company supports its programs through a comprehensive Pro Shop selling Gridiron-branded merchandise (uniforms, apparel, equipment, accessories) and a Custom Uniform Builder for team personalization. Additional platform features include the League Finder (interactive registration map), Coach's Library (training resources), Youth Sports Scholarships (financial aid partnerships), and a League Commissioner Program enabling entrepreneurs to launch local leagues. The portfolio spans recreational leagues, competitive tournaments, training camps, and merchandise e-commerce.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• G Series: National Tournament Series for elite 5v5 flag and 7v7 youth football teams featuring regional and national championships.
• Gridiron Academy
• Gridiron Pro Shop

Products and services

• 5v5 Flag Football Leagues Non-contact flag football leagues for boys and girls ages 4–17, featuring 5 players per side with recreational and competitive divisions, official Gridiron uniforms, and officiated games. Foundational program in the Gridiron player progression pathway.
• 7v7 Football Leagues Non-contact 7-on-7 football leagues designed as a progression from flag football. Focuses on passing, receiving, defensive coverages, route-running, and pre-tackle football skill development for athletes typically older than flag beginners, without linemen or live tackling.
• G Series National Tournament Series Premier regional and national tournament circuit for elite 5v5 flag and 7v7 youth football teams, featuring age-based divisions (6U through 18U), regional stops culminating in an annual National Championship, championship rings and medals, and 21 competitive divisions including all-girls brackets.
• Gridiron Academy Elite player identification and training platform for high school female flag football athletes, featuring pro-style combines, training from prominent women in sports (e.g., Vanita Krouch, QB for the US Women's Flag Football Team), and direct exposure to 25+ NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA college recruiters offering scholarships.
• Gridiron Pro Shop E-commerce storefront selling Gridiron-branded uniforms, apparel, equipment (footballs, mouthguards, flag belts, gloves), and accessories for youth athletes, families, and fans, including partnerships with Baden, Battle Sports Science, and adidas for co-branded and official products.
• Gridiron League Operator (Commissioner) Program Licensing program for entrepreneurs, former athletes, coaches, parks & rec departments, schools, Boys & Girls Clubs, and YMCAs to operate local Gridiron-branded flag football and 7v7 leagues. Includes registration platform, marketing templates, uniforms, training, and G Series tournament access, with no franchise fees or upfront costs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,400,000 kids playing flag football nationwide (addressable market)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Every Kid SportscoreOthersNational non-profit partnership providing financial aid to families. Every Kid Sports issues digital credit cards with funds up to four times per year per child for families enrolled in Medicaid, SNAP, or WIC. Gridiron supports the scholarship process by receiving approved funds and assisting with registration completion.
• Big League ShirtscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerCustom uniform manufacturing partner enabling teams to order personalized jerseys and uniform sets with team colors, logos, player names and numbers. Gridiron teams receive discounted pricing of $36 per jersey or $50 per uniform set.
• National Football Academies (NFA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining content partnership providing Gridiron coaches with professional instruction videos covering gameplay, rules, mechanics, football philosophy, and leadership. Series includes offensive/defensive rules, formations, playbook tutorials, and coaching youth football guidance.
• College Flag Football Programs (NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerOver 25 college programs at NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA levels participate in Gridiron Academy events, attending to evaluate talent and recruit student-athletes. Partner colleges include Arizona Christian University, University of St. Francis, Siena Heights University, and Maharishi International University.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Little League International: Iconic youth sports franchise organization operating baseball and softball leagues through local operators. Analogous decentralized league model with strong brand identity that parents recognize at the community level.
• Pop Warner Little Scholars: The largest youth football organization in the U.S., historically focused on tackle football but increasingly adding flag football programs. Comparable youth football league operation with scholarship-mission focus.
• Under Armour: Major athletic apparel brand with established youth football partnerships and athlete development programs (e.g., UA Next). Comparable brand-as-platform strategy for youth athletes but driven through apparel distribution.
• USA Football: National governing body for amateur football in the U.S., administering rules, coach certification, and developing flag football as an Olympic pathway. Broader regulatory and standards-setting authority Gridiron's rulebooks interact with.

Emerging players

• TeamSnap: Leading youth sports league management and team communication platform. Provides registration, scheduling, and payment infrastructure that competes with Gridiron's own League Commissioner platform play.
• Hudl: Sports video and performance analysis platform widely used in football. While not a league operator, Hudl's youth football presence (film review, recruiting profiles) overlaps with Gridiron Academy's player identification function.
• Junior NBA: NBA's youth basketball development program providing age-appropriate leagues and curriculum. Analogous league-operator model for basketball that Gridiron could replicate or compete against in multi-sport family budgets.

Direct peers

• i9 Sports: Franchise-based youth sports league operator offering flag football, basketball, soccer, and other sports. Closely comparable business model: local franchisee operators, membership-based leagues, branded Game Day experience.
• NFL FLAG: The NFL's official youth flag football program, operating leagues for boys and girls nationwide. Most direct competitor in youth flag football with unmatched league brand recognition from the NFL partnership structure.
• American Youth Football (AYF): National organization sanctioning youth football leagues and tournaments across multiple age divisions. Direct competitor serving the same youth non-tackle and tackle football families Gridiron targets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/gridironfb
• Instagraminstagram.com/playgridironfb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gridiron Football