Ford Field power failure forces postponement of girls flag football state championship. (FOX 2)
DETROIT (FOX 2) - A power failure at Ford Field in downtown Detroit has led to the postponement of the Michigan girls high school flag football championship.
The backstory:
According to a statement from organizers, the stadium could not be opened for the event because of the power outage.
Fifteen teams from across Michigan were scheduled to compete in the two-day tournament May 30-31. Organizers have not announced a makeup date.
Michigan girls high school flag football championship tournament bracket. (Detroit Lions)
Local perspective:
The league launched in 2023 with support from the Detroit Lions and has grown to 80 teams this year. It is the first high school girls flag football league of its kind in Michigan and aims to help the sport gain state-sanctioned status, similar to programs in other states.
The regular season featured four weeks of competition before culminating in a postseason tournament involving the top teams from each of the state's 15 participating leagues.
Big picture view:
Flag football has experienced significant growth in recent years. According to the International Federation of American Football, approximately 2.4 million children under 17 participate in organized flag football in the United States.
The sport is also set to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, where men's and women's 5-on-5 tournaments will be contested.
Several Michigan universities, including Eastern Michigan University, Davenport University and Saginaw Valley State University, already field varsity women's flag football teams.
The Source: Information for this story came from Ford Field the Detroit Lions, International Federation of American Football and the NCAA,