(LAS VEGAS, NV. – May 3, 2022) From Wheaties boxes and the National Football League’s (NFL) 100th Anniversary commercial to pioneering the category of Women’s Football, now Sam Gordon has been named to ownership of the X League.
Gordon drew national attention as a 9yr. old phenom with her dominating performances as a running back in an all-boys league, scoring a record 25 touchdowns and rushing for over 1,900+ yards in a single season. Her highlights went viral and drew millions of views en route to being named ‘Most Viral Athlete’ at Cartoon Network’s ‘Hall of Game Awards’. As fanfare grew around Gordon, the NFL took notice and invited her to attend Super Bowl XLVII, as the special guest of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, whom she continues to consult with. Gordon was also invited by the NFL to be a guest at NFL Honors, followed by being featured in the NFL ‘Evolution’ commercial that aired during the Super Bowl.
The NFL also honored Gordon by naming her the first recipient of ’The Game Changer’ which recognizes an individual that positively contributes to the sport of football and their community.
While most would simply be thrilled by their fifteen minutes of fame, Gordon had a big-picture vision to leverage the excitement she helped build around Women’s Football, to opening America’s No.1 sport to an entire gender. In 2015, Gordon founded and launched the first-ever all-girls young football league called Utah Girls Tackle Football League. As of 2019, the league has 446 girls competing, ranging from fourth grade to twelfth grade, across 24 teams: 25% of the girls being minorities.
“Despite being America’s No.1 sport and its significant fan base, football is the only major sport that lacks a commercial women’s platform. That lack of an aspirational league for girls, similar to that of NFL for boys, has kept girls from pursuing the sport and ultimately lessened the commercial audience potential for the sport”, said, Sam Gordon, Partner, X League.
Gordon joins NFL Hall of Famer Mike Ditka and former Chairman of the English Football League Shaun Harvey as part of the X League’s Advisory Board, as the X League prepares to debut its global operations, which will include leagues in the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany with further expansion into Canada, Australia, and Mexico.
“Having lived this experience, I know what it means to be shunned from a sport, simply because you were born a girl. I defied the odds and so have thousands of other girls and women who are currently playing the game around the world”, added Gordon, “the time has come for media platforms, investors, and corporate sponsors to support Women’s Football, not only because it’s the right thing to do, but because it can bring an audience”.
Gordon will oversee the X League’s films unit as an Executive Producer, as well as working with the X League’s leadership in the development of youth camps and leagues to petitioning for high school programs, which Gordon has already begun in Utah, as well as initiating strategy for women’s football at the collegiate level.
The X League is set to kick off its inaugural season on Saturday, June 10 as the Kansas City Force host the Chicago Blitz at Cable Dahmer Arena. Eight (8) inaugural season clubs will compete in 2022 with expansion planned to all thirty-two (32) National Football League (NFL) markets.
The X League’s 7-on-7 fast-paced format, coupled with its innovative media strategy that provides fans with unprecedented viewer access and control over their LIVE experience, has differentiated the X League, attracting a range of global media partners that include Sony Pictures Television, S Sport, StarTimes, Endemol Shine Group, amongst others.