WFA winners sport custom championship shirts and hats
As the final seconds ticked down and the St. Louis Slam secured victory over the Boston Renegades in the Women’s Football Alliance pro division National Championship Game, a celebration followed unlike any in the league’s 16-year history. For the first time, the more than 40 women whose dedication and hard work brought them to the pinnacle of the WFA celebrated with custom championship shirts and hats. “It made the players feel amazing, like the professionals they are,” said Lisa King, WFA commissioner. “It made a huge impact on them.”
New Era® Performance Dash Cap // Voltage Tri-Blend Wicking T-Shirt
Fans watching at the Pro Football Hall of Fame® in Canton, Ohio, and those who tuned in to the live broadcast on ESPN2®, saw the championship merchandise at the post-game festivities. “All the pictures that were taken after the game, they’re in their hats and shirts,” King said. “The players really felt like they just won the Super Bowl®.”
A league and game on the rise
King, a former football player herself, launched the WFA in 2009 with her husband. What began with 24 teams has grown to 58 spread over three divisions, from Los Angeles to Miami to New York City.
The WFA is one of several women’s football leagues vying for mainstream attention. Along with other tackle leagues, there is a growing passion for women’s flag football. Both men’s and women’s flag football will debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics.
According to USA Football®, there were more than 100,000 girls, ages 6 to 12, playing flag football in the U.S. in 2023, an increase of over 200% percent from 2014. USA Football’s CEO, Scott Hallenbeck, recently said the Olympics inclusion has been like “rocket fuel” for women’s football.
The WFA is part of the sport’s growing popularity. After repeated one-year deals, the WFA recently signed its first two-year contract to air its championship game on ESPN2. The number of players and teams continues to climb. New partnerships, including one with the NFL® Alumni Association, are expanding what’s possible. “It’s like a snowball rolling downhill at this point,” King said. “Especially in the past six years, things really skyrocketed.”
The future is wide open
Football is the most popular sport in America. As momentum builds, there’s no telling what’s possible for the WFA and the women’s game. What we do know is that more women than ever are working hard to earn the right to someday proudly sport custom championship shirts and hats.
“It’s an incredible sport, and unfortunately, these women never got to play it early in their lives,” King said. “It’s a huge adrenaline rush like I’ve never had in a sport before. It’s not for everybody, but for some, it’s everything.”
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Note: 4imprint partnered with the Women’s Football Alliance and sponsored the custom championship shirts and hats mentioned in this story.
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