ORLANDO, Fla. (July 21, 2026) – TMRW Sports has named Brendan Donohue president, flag football, where he will lead the company’s professional flag football business in partnership with the National Football League. Donohue joins TMRW Sports following nearly three decades of leadership across professional sports, primarily with the National Basketball Association and most recently serving as a managing partner at Elevate’s talent practice. Prior to that, Donohue was a leader for the NBA's Team Marketing & Business Operations group, the industry-renowned consulting division for all NBA teams. In 2017, Donohue served as president of the NBA 2K League, where he launched and led the first esports league operated by a major U.S. professional sports league. In this newly created role, Donohue will report directly to Mike McCarley, founder and CEO, TMRW Sports, and will be relocating to TMRW Sports’ headquarters in Orlando.

“Brendan has three decades of experience building the businesses of NBA teams and launching a first-of-its-kind professional league with the NBA,” said McCarley. “As we debut a modern professional flag football league, his expertise makes him an ideal leader for the league TMRW Sports and the NFL are creating for flag football.”

“Flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and it’s an honor to have the opportunity to help establish its professional future with TMRW Sports and alongside the NFL,” said Donohue. “Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to help launch and grow innovative sports businesses, and I believe flag football is at a transformational moment. I’m eager to get started working with the TMRW Sports team, our partners and the flag football community to create a league that showcases the world’s best flag athletes, both women and men, while creating an entertaining new experience for fans around the globe.”

Following eight years with the NBA’s TMBO group, Donohue was selected to serve as president of the NBA 2K League from inception through its first seven years of growth. He oversaw league governance, competition, broadcast operations, commercial development and international expansion. Under his leadership, the league grew from 17 to 25 franchises; expanded internationally with independent teams in Australia, China and Mexico; developed new sponsorship and competition formats; and significantly increased global viewership and engagement.

Prior to leading the NBA 2K League, Donohue served as senior vice president of the NBA’s TMBO group, advising NBA, WNBA and NBA G League franchises on revenue growth, operations, sponsorship, marketing and organizational strategy. Earlier in his career, he held senior business leadership roles with the Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks and Palace Sports & Entertainment. Most recently, he served as a managing partner at Elevate talent and as special advisor to the CEO, where he led executive search and strategic business initiatives across the global sports industry. Donohue currently resides in Fairfield, Conn., with his wife Patty and children, Mandy and Carter.

TMRW Sports and the NFL are launching the professional flag football league prior to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Fans will experience the league’s fast-paced, elite-level competition and tech-forward presentation. The league will bring spectators close to the action, and the broadcast will feature a data-rich and accessible viewing experience for fans around the globe. Ultimately, professional flag football aims to deliver data-driven storytelling and technology that immerses audiences in the sport’s speed, agility and athleticism.

The league has support from a broad and influential investor pool, including all 32 NFL club owners, established institutional and strategic investors, and current and former NFL players, reflecting confidence in the sport's long-term growth potential and increasing global relevance. Adding this pro-level tier will play an important role within flag football's broader global pathway, capping a growing youth, high school, collegiate, international and Olympic ecosystem with the opportunity to compete professionally for women and men.

TMRW Sports has formed a strategic partnership with the International Federation of American Football, the international governing body for American football and the IOC-recognized federation responsible for flag football competitions in the Olympic Games. This partnership is designed to further accelerate the growth, visibility and accessibility of flag football around the world, including supporting the 2026 IFAF World Championship in Düsseldorf, Germany, the first qualifying event for the Olympic Games.

More than 20 million people currently play the sport around the world, with participation continuing to grow across all levels. Approximately 4.1 million youth play flag football in the U.S. alone – more than a 50% increase since 2020. Flag football is now offered at the high school level in 40 states, with the number of young women playing on their high school teams increasing by nearly 60% from 2024 to 2025. In addition, more than 250 colleges and universities across the country now offer women’s flag football programming. The NCAA recently approved flag football as part of the Emerging Sports for Women program and voted at its spring meeting to recommend that Divisions I, II and III add a National Collegiate Flag Football Championship as early as spring 2028.