US Women's Olympic Teams to Enjoy Concerts by Ed Sheeran and Backstreet Boys

Flavor Flav arranges special celebration and concert tickets for female athletes

Mar. 17, 2026 at 3:00am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Thanks to Public Enemy rapper Flavor Flav, the U.S. women's Olympic teams will get to enjoy concerts by Ed Sheeran and the Backstreet Boys during a special celebration in Las Vegas this summer. Flav initially offered a celebration for the U.S. women's Winter Olympics hockey team, and then expanded it to include all the female athletes who represented Team USA. The event, called She Got Game Weekend, is scheduled for July 16-19 in Vegas, and will feature the music acts as well as other festivities.

Why it matters

This gesture by Flavor Flav highlights the growing recognition and appreciation for the achievements of female Olympic athletes, who often don't receive the same level of fanfare and celebration as their male counterparts. By providing these concert experiences, Flav is helping to elevate the profile of the women's teams and celebrate their hard work and success.

The details

Flav shared a phone call on Instagram with Backstreet Boy AJ McLean, who invited the athletes to the group's Las Vegas residency show at Sphere. Flav also announced that the women will get to watch and meet Ed Sheeran at his show at Allegiant Stadium in Vegas. The She Got Game Weekend celebration is scheduled for July 16-19 in Las Vegas.

  • The She Got Game Weekend celebration is scheduled for July 16-19, 2026 in Las Vegas.
  • The Backstreet Boys' Las Vegas residency show is scheduled for the summer of 2026.
  • Ed Sheeran's concert at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas is scheduled for the summer of 2026.

The players

Flavor Flav

A rapper and founding member of the hip hop group Public Enemy, who organized the She Got Game Weekend celebration and concert experiences for the U.S. women's Olympic teams.

AJ McLean

A member of the Backstreet Boys, who invited the U.S. women's Olympic teams to attend the group's Las Vegas residency show.

Hilary Knight

Captain of the U.S. women's ice hockey team, which won the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I saw the video that you posted the other day about the U.S. Women's Olympic team. And I was blown away, dude. Good for you, man! These ladies deserve their flowers. They deserve their respect.”

— AJ McLean, Backstreet Boy (Instagram)

“I want to invite all the ladies to our show in Vegas this summer. I'm 100% serious. I'm a girl dad, bro. My daughters watching these young ladies achieve greatness inspires my kids.”

— AJ McLean, Backstreet Boy (Instagram)

“I can't wait to tell them this and believe me, the whole doggone team is gonna be stoked, man.”

— Flavor Flav, Rapper (Instagram)

What’s next

The She Got Game Weekend celebration, featuring the concerts by Ed Sheeran and Backstreet Boys, is scheduled for July 16-19, 2026 in Las Vegas.

The takeaway

Flavor Flav's efforts to provide these special concert experiences for the U.S. women's Olympic teams highlights the growing recognition and appreciation for the achievements of female athletes, who often don't receive the same level of fanfare and celebration as their male counterparts. This gesture helps to elevate the profile of the women's teams and celebrate their hard work and success.