Baltimore Ravens & Under Armour Further Expand Partnership With Maryland Public High Schools To Advance Year Three Of Girls Flag Football Initiative

The Baltimore Ravens and Under Armour have partnered with Calvert County Public Schools and Charles County Public Schools to provide grant funding and uniforms that will further develop high school girls flag football in the fall of 2025. Additionally, Baltimore City Public Schools will add two new programs (Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and National Academy Foundation) to the girls flag field this fall.

To date, the Ravens have provided $600,000 in total funding to further their girls flag initiative across Maryland. (Each participating team will receive $10,000 in funding to help support the development and sustainability of the program at their respective schools.) Under Armour – a leading inventor, marketer and distributor of branded athletic performance apparel, footwear and accessories – will continue to outfit custom uniforms for each team.

"Following two years of successful girls flag pilot programs, we're thrilled to further expand into Calvert and Charles Counties, and to welcome additional participation from Baltimore City," Ravens senior vice president of marketing Brad Downs stated. "From the beginning, we have been fully committed to launching and developing this initiative throughout Maryland, and we recognize that providing additional funding is essential to the program's long-term sustainability and statewide impact."

This year marks the third year of the Ravens girls flag football initiative, which launched in 2023 with all 10 public high schools in Frederick County participating in the inaugural season. In 2024, the program enjoyed its second successful season after adding 43 new schools from Baltimore City, Montgomery County and Washington County.

Additionally, the team will continue collaborating with the Washington Commanders in 2025, who will provide resources and funding to Prince George's County Public Schools and Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). The Commanders will build upon the Ravens' initial development with MCPS in 2024 to provide future sustainability for the county and its member schools.

For 2025, below is a breakdown of all 92 participating schools from various Maryland counties and Baltimore City being funded by the Ravens and Commanders:

With 92 schools participating in 2025, girls flag is rapidly advancing toward the ultimate goal of becoming a state-sanctioned sport and allowing female student-athletes in every Maryland county to receive these same opportunities well into the future. All participating schools will play competitively in a fall calendar that mirrors other seasonal athletics facilitated by their respective districts, culminating in the Maryland Girls Flag Championship that will be played at M&T Bank Stadium in November 2025.

Girls flag football has seen steady growth beyond Maryland in recent years. Highlighted by numerous NFL endorsements and partnerships, the sport has become an emerging offering for girls and women nationwide and across the globe. The International Olympic Committee announced in October 2023 the addition of flag football to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Please find below key quotes from leaders representing the programs being added in 2025:

Kevin Hook – Calvert County Public Schools Director of Athletics

"After watching the success of girls flag football in other counties around the state, we are excited to start the sport in southern Maryland alongside our counterparts in Charles County. We are grateful to the Baltimore Ravens and Under Armour for their partnership to help us launch this new opportunity for young ladies in our county, and we look forward to the growth of this sport throughout our entire state. This program will give us another path to help shape the lives of our high school students through their involvement in our athletics program."

Rich Pauole – Charles County Public Schools Director of Athletics

"This exciting new opportunity is made possible through the generous support and partnership of the Baltimore Ravens and Under Armour, who continue to be instrumental in expanding athletic programs for girls across the region. By joining the growing movement across Maryland, CCPS is aligning with several other counties in a unified effort to achieve full sanctioning of girls flag football by the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA). This initiative reflects our commitment to providing inclusive and diverse athletic opportunities for all students. We look forward to the positive impact this program will have on our student-athletes and our school communities."