By Jacob Ajom

After several weeks of club trials and preparations, the SFFL Showtime Flag Football League is set to kick off this weekend with the Showtime Allstars taking on Outlaws Flag Football Club of Lagos at the Meadow Hall School, Lekki. The event which has been described as “a defining moment” in the development of the SFFL Showtime Flag Football in the country, will signal the commencement of a 9-week league, involving 10 teams.

According to the League Commissioner, Adejumo Adebare, who addressed the media in Lagos yesterday, the league proper will commence Sunday, 21 September and matches will be played every Sunday throughout the 9 weeks. The teams to compete in the league include the Lagos Mavericks, Spartan FC, Lagos Babels, Raptors and the Titans. Others are Lagos Athletic, Dragos Flag Football Club, Outlaws, Panthers and Warriors Flag Football Club.

He called on Nigerians to embrace Showtime Flag football as it offers something fresh and different from rugby and American football. While American football is a tackling game, Flag Football is a non-contact sport. “That is why we have flags,” he explained.

“It is a pioneering sport in co-ed football which allows for inclusivity, sportsmanship and skill development. You find men and women playing together and this goes a long way in not only underscoring the need for equality but equity in sports.”

Continuing, Adebare, who is an exponent of American football said, “SFFL Showtime Flag Football League is set to change the narrative of our young ones who want to go professional and change their fortunes for good.”

He informed that the SFFL Showtime League which is a private initiative is working in partnership with the Nigeria American Football Association with a view to harmonizing their activities and spreading the growth and development of American football in the country.