Global Pro Flag Football League pitches Bedford to host inaugural championship; school district preliminarily offers facility use

Officials from the Global Pro Flag Football League told the Bedford City Council on July 22 that the league is considering Pennington Field as the site for its inaugural championship and playoff weekend and asked the city and local stakeholders to partner on logistics and promotion.

Marjorie Herrera Lewis, the league commissioner, introduced a front‑office delegation including veteran sports executives and tournament operators who said they were impressed by Bedford’s stadium and community. The delegation described a plan to stage the championship during a window when the Dallas‑area will host large international sports events, which league leaders said could boost hotel and restaurant business in Bedford.

Quintus McDonald, who the league described as a multifaceted operations leader, told the council, “You only get one opportunity to do something for the first time,” and said the league wants the host city to be part of the event’s planning and local commerce. Eric “Unc” Cooper, a longtime organizer of national flag‑football events, described the sport as broadly inclusive: “Everybody can play flag football,” he said, noting youth and adult programs feed interest and attendance.

City staff said Bedford Independent School District representatives toured the site with the delegation and indicated the district would not charge rent for use of the stadium while retaining concession revenue. City and school officials also discussed typical event costs such as ticketing, staffing, police presence and parking. Donovan Brandon, the councilmember who introduced the delegation, and other council members said the city welcomed the opportunity but stressed that final dates, contracts and operational responsibilities remain to be negotiated.

League officials and council members cautioned that nothing was finalized at the July 22 meeting. Officials said they want to meet with the chamber of commerce, tourism partners and local vendors to plan marketing, sponsorships and vendor arrangements; the league requested assistance with promotion and local hospitality coordination if Bedford is selected as host.

The presentation concluded with councilmembers asking staff to coordinate follow‑up meetings with the school district, the chamber of commerce and the league to work toward a formal host agreement.