| |
Turning the Dream Into
a Reality
After years
of planning and development, the World League of American Football (the forerunner to the NFL Europe League) exploded onto
the sporting scene with a unique 17-day extravaganza in Orlando, Florida that will long be
remembered by those involved.
Rather than have a host of meetings, player workouts and the inaugural draft spread over many months - as most other sports
leagues had done in the past - the World League crammed all those activities into the space of two and a half hectic weeks.League meetings were followed by player trials and workouts, and those in turn
were followed by the first World League draft as more than 1,000 World League personnel converged on Orlando from February
8-24 in 1991. The man charged with making
sure everything ran smoothly was Les Miller, the World League's special events coordinator for the Orlando
meetings and the draft. "It was a monumental
task," said Miller, a former director of scouting for the NFL's San Diego Chargers. "It was
a mind-boggling thing to put together."Everybody
affiliated with the World League was in Orlando. All three league offices (New York, Dallas
and London), all 10 franchises, all the sponsors. They were all together, face-to-face, for the first time."
First on the agenda were
a series of meetings for World League officials and owners as they attempted to introduce policies that would shape the future
of football around the world.
League president Mike Lynn also made his first state of the World League address
in Florida. Joe Bailey, the World
League's chief operating officer, said: "Decisions which were made during that time period will have a significant impact
on the future of the league."We were making
history, breaking new ground in the globalization of American football." Next came the grading of players, although much research had been carried out
on potential candidates before they even set foot in Orlando.Whereas
the annual NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis features the top 350 prospects in the country, the World League invited 710
hopefuls to Orlando - 65 for each of the 10 teams and 60 for Team Dallas, the 11th team which served as a practice squad throughout
the 1991 season. Another 40 players were added
via the Operation Discovery programme initiated to find the best amateur players in Europe.
The American players were made up of young prospects who spent
time with NFL or Canadian Football League teams, either on regular season rosters or during training camp."We started out by looking at the draft classes of 1990, '89 and '88,"
Miller explained. "Guys who made it in the NFL for a year or two, or who made it to the final cut before the season.
You'd be surprised how many players fall into that category."
Lynn, the former general manager for the Minnesota Vikings, was confident there
would be more than enough good players for the World League."Our colleges produce 10,000 football players every year," he explained. " Of those, 2,000 are high-quality
players. Of those, only 336 get drafted by the NFL, and many of them don't last. So don't tell me we'll have trouble finding
talent." Lynn would be proved right in time.
The 1991 season
produced NFL starters such as London Monarchs quarterback Stan Gelbaugh, Monarchs safety Dedrick Dodge, who won Super Bowls
with San Francisco and Denver, and San Antonio Riders quarterback Jason Garrett, who is still going strong in the NFL with
the New York Giants.
The World League received over 4,000 applications from players looking for a chance to prove themselves at a high level and
get back in the NFL. It was a tough task for Miller to weed through the hopefuls and find those talented enough to be invited
to Florida for the first draft.Miller
said: "One of the misunderstandings of this league was that we'd simply be having open tryouts for any guy off the street
who wanted to play football."But it was a tremendous
undertaking to zero in on the 66 running backs, or 44 quarterbacks, or 22 punters we signed to come to Orlando."
When the players arrived in Orlando
they were put through their paces and required to take physical exams, make themselves available for interviews with team
executives, and work out for the coaches and general managers.The draft concluded the events in Orlando and that in itself was unique. Players were drafted by position, with each of
the 10 clubs being granted first choice in one of the 10 sections.
The New York/New Jersey Knights kicked off proceedings on February 14, 1991, by grabbing tackle Caesar Rentie, a 290-pounder from the University of Oklahoma,
with the first pick in the offensive lineman draft.
The regular draft concluded 10 days later on February 24, although a supplemental draft was held on
February 28 and unearthed future gems such as Gelbaugh, Barcelona defensive end Bruce Clark, and the
Monarchs pairing of WR Andre Riley and RB David Smith. Lynn loved the positional drafts and admitted
it was another way the World League could tout itself as a groundbreaking organisation. "I have been sequestered in NFL
draft rooms," he said. "This was the most exciting draft I've ever been involved with and the kind of innovative
approach that will become the hallmark of the World League."
History would suggest the Monarchs got the best out of the inaugural World League
draft as they went on to dominate the 1991 season and win the first World Bowl.However, some would argue that football fans in Europe and around the world
were the winners as the initial Orlando meetings and draft kick-started a product that has grown in strength with each
passing year.
Experimental rules
The NFL has traditionally used a sudden death format for overtime. Regular
season games have a single period of overtime during which the first team to score wins the game. If neither team scores,
the game is declared a tie. In post-season games, overtime is extended indefinitely until one team scores. In NFL Europa,
however, the overtime period lasted for 10 minutes with the requirement that each team must have the opportunity of possession
at least once. This gave the format some similarities with the NCAA's overtime format. So, in NFL Europa, it was possible
for one team to score in overtime then have to kick-off to the opponent and give them a chance to either equalize or win the
game. The winner was the team with the highest score after both teams had had possession. Only two games ever remained tied
after overtime in WLAF/NFL Europa history: London Monarchs versus Birmingham Fire in Week 4 of the 1992 season, and Berlin
Thunder at Hamburg Sea Devils, on April 1, 2006. The score of both games was 17-17. With
soccer being the traditionally popular sport in Europe and American football being a relative newcomer, the rules were changed
slightly to encourage a greater element of kicking which was intended to make the game more enjoyable for soccer and rugby
fans. The league did this by awarding 4 points to field goals of more than 50 yards, as opposed to 3 points in the NFL. This
had the interesting side-effect that a touchdown & PAT lead (7 points) could be equaled by one regular field goal (3 points)
as well as a long field goal (4 points). Also, there was a requirement
that at least one player of Non-American extraction, referred to as "national" players, participate in every down
for both teams as of the 2006 season (in previous seasons one was required to play only on every down of every other series).
In addition to European players a number of Mexican and Japanese players played as national players. Up until the 2004 season
kicked conversion attempts and short field goals were attempted by national players. Since there are few European players
who have had the chance to compete at a level comparable to U.S. college football and the NFL, many, if not most, of the European
players ended up as kickers. Among the notable national players
included Scott McCready, an English wide receiver who played some preseason games for the New England Patriots, Constantin
Ritzmann, a German defensive end who had played for the University of Tennessee, and Rob Hart, an English rugby player who
became a placekicker; he kicked barefoot.
| | | USA TODAY (Arlington, VA)
|
Author: DON COBLE(c) Gannett News Service ORLANDO,
Fla. - Orlando is one of three cities seeking two teams in the new World League of American Football, league
president Tex Schramm said Thursday. The 12-team, seven-country league will be owned and operated by
the National Football League, assuring the satellite organization of protection against competition. "It's not a gimmick-like
league," Schramm told the Orlando Chamber of Commerce. "We want to start slow and conservatively and do it right.
The rivalries will happen after it truely becomes an international league." Orlando is in competition with Jacksonville
and Charlotte, N.C., for two spots in the four-team East Division. Schramm, former Dallas
Cowboys president now in charge of international promotion for the NFL, toured the Florida Citrus Bowl early Thursday, met
with Orlando Mayor Bill Frederick and a potential owner. The NFL is organizing the league to expand boundaries to Canada,
Mexico and Europe. The WLAF will play from mid-March to early-July, Schramm said, to keep from directly competing
with the NFL. Players will come from current NFL rosters, free agents and rookies. Some players, especially second-string
NFL players in need of seasoning, will play in both leagues. The NFL will decide "within 30 days" which teams
will make up the WLAF, Schramm said. New York and Montreal already are assured teams in
the Eastern Division. The Western Division is a competition between Birmingham, Ala., Memphis and Nashville, Tenn., for two
spots, while Los Angeles and Mexico City already have teams. The European Division is a five-way battle between
Milan, Italy; London; Paris; Barcelona, Spain; and Frankfurt, West Germany for four spots. All teams will
be restricted by a salary cap and all players will be considered property of the NFL. Before a player can join a team,
he must first be hired by the NFL and made available to all teams. Forty-man teams will
be formed in a special draft. The NFL will be responsible for negotiating a television contract, paying player salaries, travel
expenses and game officials, Schramm said. In return, the NFL owners would own a controlling interest in the league. Local
ownership would be responsible for local staffs and promotions. Orlando and Jacksonville currently have NFL-like stadiums
in place. The Florida Citrus Bowl currently seats 52,000 and is being expanded to seat 70,000. Work on the expansion is expected
to be complete by January, more than two months ahead of the opening kickoff of the WLAF. Jacksonville has
the 80,000-seat Gator Bowl, while Charlotte must play in a 10,000-seat Memorial Stadium. Groups in Charlotte are trying to
land an NFL franchise, promising to build a major stadium adjacent to the 95,000-seat Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord.
The NFL has interest from all three major television networks and five cable companies to broadcast a 10-game reuglar season
and three-game playoff. Schramm said a good showing in the WLAF would impress NFL owners when NFL expansion
is addressed. "I don't think this (WLAF) would be a deterant to having an NFL team,"
he said. "When the NFL decides to expand, you look at everything you can look at. Certainly, a very successful operation
in this league would bode well for expansion." Orlando has jumped to the foreground of major sports consideration in
the past three years. The Naional Basketball Association's Orlando Magic will tipoff its inaugural season in October, while
Major League baseball is said to be keen on the Orlando area for expansion in the National League. Orlando has has three other
professional football teams - the Panthers of the Continental Football League, the Florida Blazers of the
World Football League and the Orlando Renagades of the Unites States Football League. All three teams and
leagues folded under direct competition of the NFL. --- (Don Coble writes for FLORIDA TODAY). Copyright
1989, 2009 Gannett Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Schramm gets wish as owners
vote in favor of spring league
Author: John Czarnecki; Staff Writer of The Dallas Morning News
THE The Dallas Morning News | | Edition:
HOME FINAL
Section: SPORTS DAY
Page: 3B |
Topics:
Index Terms:
PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE SPRING Dateline: SCHAUMBURG, Ill. Article Text: SCHAUMBURG, Ill. -- Tex Schramm, the former Cowboys'
president and NFL powerbroker, stood at the end of a long hotel hallway Wednesday, laughing while his memory bank churned
away. "Thirty years ago I was standing outside a meeting room trying to get a franchise,' Schramm said
of the Cowboys' acceptance into the NFL in 1960. "And here I am 30 years later standing outside in a hallway trying to
get another franchise.' Once again, the wait was worthwhile. Tex Schramm is officially back
in pro football. His international spring league, dubbed the World League of American Football, received 27 affirmative votes
Wednesday. The Chicago Bears, who wanted more financial information, passed. However, it remains unresolved whether the league
will open for business next spring or in 1991. "Ninety would be tough,' NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle said. "They'll
have to give it a lot of thought. I know there's concern about the World Cup (soccer) being in 1990 in Milan. That might detract
from the league's first season.' Milan has been mentioned as one of the four European cities, along with London, Frankfurt
and Barcelona. The NFL owners immediately elected a WLAF board of directors, which is expected to meet next
week to begin making formal plans. The board includes Pittsburgh Steelers president Dan Rooney, Philadelphia Eagles owner
Norman Braman, Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt, New England Patriots owner Victor Kiam, Minnesota Vikings general manager
Mike Lynn, New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson and Los Angeles Raiders owner-managing general partner Al Davis. Still, Schramm
didn't sound optimistic about a '90 start. "Yeah, most of the board was on the committee, and we all wanted to move as
rapidly as we could,' he said. "But the other side of the coin is that you want to be sure everything is set up in the
best manner. We were just meeting now to set up the things we have to do in the next week, like setting up a corporation.
We have a tremendous amount of work to do.' Schramm said the league will maintain offices in Dallas and will
set up headquarters in New York. One of the six American teams will play in Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., to placate
the television industry. Schramm said he is considering eight or nine cities for the final five American
berths in the league. The cities under consideration are Nashville, Orlando, Birmingham, San Antonio, Sacramento, San Jose,
Jacksonville and Charlotte. There have been published reports recently of mild network interest in the spring league. However,
it was NBC, which lost major league baseball earlier this year, that originally proposed the idea of a spring league to fill
programming needs to the NFL. Schramm contends that all three major TV networks, plus assorted cable companies,
are interested in the league. Basically, this was a victory for Schramm. At 69, he obviously has rebounded
from his departure from the Cowboys. "I wouldn't call it vindication,' Schramm said. "I don't relate
this to the Cowboys. The Cowboys are always going to be an emotional part of my life. I can't get away from that. "At
the present time, this is our venture,' he said. "It gives me something to occupy my mind; to get my juices going again.
I don't have to make any apologies for what we did with the Cowboys. I've very proud of our record and what we accomplished.'
Copyright 1989 The Dallas
Morning News Company Record Number: DAL1080932 1989 April 18, 1989
Tex Schramm leaves the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL to become the founding President and Chief Executive of the
World League of American Football. A committee is started to work out if the WLAF is a feasible idea with Dan Rooney, Norman
Braman, Lamar Hunt, Vicor Kiam, Mike Lynn and Bill Walsh. April 26, 1989 Joseph A. Bailey, III, the former Dallas Cowboys' Vice President, joins the proposed
league in preparation to become Vice President/Chief Operating Officer. May 19, 1989 Billy Hicks, ex-Director of Business Services with the Cowboys, joins the proposed
league in administration.
July 1, 1989
NFL owners unamimously vote to start the league on an international basis
in the Spring of 1991.
August 14, 1989 Inaugural Board
of Directors meetings held in Chicago. The charter board members include Dan Rooney of the Pittsburgh Steelers (Chairman),
Tom Benson of the New Orleans Saints, Lamar Hunt of the Kansas Coty Chiefs, Mike Lynn of the Minnesota Vikings, Victor Kiam
of the New England Patriots, Norman Braman of the Philadelphia Eagles ad Al Davis of the Los Angeles Raiders. October 1, 1989 With financing
in place, the World League Corporation is formed and begins operation in Dallas, TX. John R. Schoemer, Treasurer and
Chief Financial Officer for the World League.
| WLAF gets OK from NFL owners to begin play | | Edition:
THE BATON ROUGE STATE TIMES
Section: Sports
Page: 2-H |
The
Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.) Dateline: DALLAS DALLAS -- Tex Schramm wasn't there, but he had a lot to do with
the World League of American Football getting its final green light from NFL shareholders, "Tex did an excellent
job of getting things rolling," said WLAF president Mike Lynn, who replaced Schramm less than a month
ago. "I was surprised at the progress that had been made when I took over." Schramm was dismissed after a dispute
with the shareholders over how first-class the WLAF should go. He was in Key West, Fla., on his fishing boat
Tuesday when the WLAF announced it will start on schedule next March. Lynn hit the road today for a series
of press conferences to announce everything from ownership to team nicknames. "I'm satisfied everything
will be in place for the opener," Lynn said of the league which will begin a 10-week season on March 23. The WLAF
will have 10 teams in three divisions, including seven North American cities and three European sites. The
Europe division will be made up of London, Barcelona and Frankfurt. North America East includes New York, Montreal, Orlando,
Fla., and the Carolinas, and the North American West has Sacramento, Calif., San Antonio, and Birmingham, Ala. Lynn said that
the team in the Carolinas would be based at either Raleigh or Charlotte, with a decision to be made by Dec.
1. Lynn has approved franchise ownership commitments in eight of the cities. "For businesses reasons, the league will
own and operate the London and Frankfurt franchises and will announce management groups for those franchises," he said.
The league will announce a playing schedule by Dec. 1, including a site for the inaugural World Bowl championship game. The
WLAF will open the regular season on March 23 with semifinal playoffs game scheduled June 1-2 and the World
Bowl on June 9. ABC Sports will televise a national game of the week each Sunday and USA Network will cablecast prime-time
games on Saturday and Monday nights. There also will be six telecasts on Saturday afternoons. The league will have its first
player evaluation combine and draft Feb. 11-24 at Orlando. "We've signed some 100 players and we intend to sign about
1,000 players by February," Lynn said. Lynn said that he received no opposition from the NFL about the league, although
some of the shareholders discussed whether the spring league should have been delayed a year because of the unstable economy.
"It was decided that the time to negotiate is over and that everything is in place and we need to go on with it,"
Lynn said. During the special NFL owners meeting, a committee was formed to study giving commissioner Paul Tagliabue new powers
under a reorganization plan, which included putting some television, NFL Films and NFL Properties under his office. The committee
includes owners Norman Braman of Philadelphia, Art Modell of Cleveland, Mike McCaskey of Chicago and Jerry Jones of Dallas.
Tagliabue said the management council also will be absorbed into the league office at a later date under his own discretion.
Jack Donlan, executive director of the NFL management council, emerged unscathed despite predictions he was on the way out.
Copyright 1990 Capital City Press, Baton Rouge, La. 1990
January 15, 1990 Robert C. Sloane,
a 20 year marketing veteran, is appointed Vice President of Marketing. He most recently sreved as Director of Worldwide
Marketing at Colgate-Palmolive and was previously President of Shulton Canada Inc. January 26, 1990 The league announces
the opening of it's London office, which will be directed by Billy Hicks, newly named European-Coordinator. February 6, 1990 WLAF announces
2 year TV deal with ABC. It will broadcast regular season games as well as post-season games beginning in the spring
of 1991. ABC will televise exclusively 10 regular season games on Sunday afternoons and a package of playoff games. February 13, 1990 Bob Rose, former
Public Relations Director with the St. Louis/Phoenix Cardinals, is named Vice President of Communications for the League. March 10, 1990 The World League announces a four-year, primetime cable
television agreement with USA Network, beginning in the inaugural
1991 season. The contract guarantees that USA Network will provide two years of Saturday and Monday night prime-time
games in 1991 and 1992 and two additional years of either Saturday night or Monday night games in 1993 and 1994. In
addition, in 1991 and 1992, USA Network will carry six European Specials from Europe for Saturday afternoon viewing in the
U.S., plus another 14 games cablecast regionally in prime-time. March 14, 1990 At the league's Board of Director's Meeting in Orlando, FL, the World League
announces that Carmen Policy of the San Francisco 49ers will replace Al Davis on the board effective immediately. In
addition, the Board is expanded from seven to eight members with the addition of World League President, Tex Schramm. March 15, 1990 Orlando, FL., is awarded the first franchise in the 12 team
World League of American Football. March 18, 1990 The World League announces the addition of it's second charter franchise, Birmingham, AL., one of the nation's
richest cities in football tradition. March 26, 1990 Montreal, Canada, long regarded as one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities, is awarded a World
League franchise. April
26, 1990 San
Antonio, TX., one of the top growth markets in the U.S., joins the World League as the fourth charter member. May 2, 1990 Brent Musburger joins ABC Sports and it is announced that
he will pair with Dick Vermeil to broadcast World League games. May 19, 1990 Barcelona, Spain, a world class city with an emerging reptation in international
sports. is awarded Europe's first World League franshise, the fifth overall. May 22, 1990 Jerry Vainisi, a well respected and popular NFL executive
with the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears for the past 19 years, is named Vice President of Football Management for the
World League. May
24, 1990 The
World League announces the use of electronic radio communication in the player's helmets for the new international league's
first season. June
8, 1990 Sacramento, CA. a burgeoning Top 20 television market and capitol of the nation's
most populous state, becomes the sixth city to be officially awarded a World League team. June 18,
1990 Frankfurt, West-Germany, an internationaly respected city and one of Western
Europe's leaders in business, culture and sports, is awarded the seventh World League franchise. June 21,
1990 World League, under Vice President of Marketing, Bob Sloane, kicks off a four
city tour of marketers to present League's Sponsorship Program. Citites to be visited - New York, Chicago, Detroit and Los
Angeles. August 3, 1990 London, England is officially
awarded the eighth World League franchise. Wembley Stadium, one of the world's most revered sports stadiums, will be
the franchise site of home games. August 16, 1990 Dan Rambo,
assistant general manager of the CFL Saskatchawan Roughriders, is named College Scouting Coordinator of the World League. August
17, 1990 Chet Franklin, a 19 year veteran of the NFL coaching and player personnel, is
appointed the League's Pro Player Scouting Coordinator. August 21, 1990 First
two corporate sponsors of the World League are announced, Wilson Sporting Goods Co. and Riddell, Inc. enter into three year
sponsorship agreements. Wilson will supply the official World League football and Riddell will make the league's helmets,
shoulder pads and other equipment. September 6, 1990 Andrew
D. Brandt, formerly with Proserv, Inc., an athlete management firm, joins the league as In-House Counsel and Special Assistant
to the President. September 20, 1990 League
appoints Vince Casey, former public relations director for the New York Rangers (North American Soccer League) and NFL Management
Council, as it's Director of Information. September 21, 1990 Former
University of Pittsburgh head coach Mike Gottfried is named a competition consultant and will be responsible for the league's
uniform offensive system. September 24, 1990 Joe Collier,
for 21 years the defensive strategist for the Denver Broncos, is appointed competition consultant, with assignment to develop
overall World League defensive system. September 27, 1990 Delta
Airlines becomes the first charter corporate sponsor and the official U.S. airline of the World League, with current/projected
flight schedules in all the league's cities. October 2, 1990
Kentucky Fried Chicken, the world's largest chicken restaurant chain, becomes
the exclusive fast food restaurant of the World League. October 9, 1990 The League names it's college scouting staff under the direction of Dan Rambo:
Bryan Broaddus - Assistant to the College Scouting Coordinator, Jeff Beathard, Derrick Jensen, Kenny King, Mike Maccagnan,
Terry McDonough and Lionel Vital. October 11, 1990 Larry Wansley, an executive with over 25 years experience in the security and professional football fields,
is selected as Coordinator of Security and Counseling Services. League also appoints Les Miller as it's Coordinator,
Scouting Combine and Draft and Mike Wade as it's Assistant Director of Information. October 12, 1990 The World League announces that its forst owners/administrative
meetings and players' scouting combine and allocation draft will be held in Orlando, FL. from February 8-24, 1991. October 18, 1990 A nine-city North American player evaluation tour, beginning
November 3 and ending December 2, is announced by the League. Players signed at these sessions will participate in the
World League scouting combine and player allocation draft in February, 1991. November 8, 1990 World League reaches two year agreement with TV 3 Catalunya,
the premier broadcaster in the Catalunya region of Spain, to provide live or delayed coverage of Barcelona's 10 World League
games. November
14, 1990 World
League announces that it will kick off its inaugural season in 1991 with 10 charter franchises in a three divisional setup:
Europe - Barcelona, London and Frankfurt, North America East: Montreal, New York, Orlando and Raleigh-Durham, and North American West: Birmingham,
Sacramento, and San Antonio. The League also announces that it has approved ownership commitments in eight of the 10
cities. November
15, 1990 An
investor group headed by Gavin Maloof, former President and Owner of the NBA's Houston Rockets, acquires ownership of the
Birmingham franchise. Maloff, Vice Chairman of the Maloof Companies and President of Quality Import Company of Albuquerque,
N.M. will be the majority owner and managing partner. November 15, 1990 A local investment group headed by attorney Larry J. Benson and legendary Hall
of Fame coach Tom Landry purchases ownership of the San Antonio franchise. Benson, a practicing attorney in San Antonio
and Chairman of the Board of Kelly Bank, previously held a minority partnership in the New Orleans Saints form 1985-1989.
Landry, the third winningist coach (as of 1990) in NFL history, posted a 150-162-6 record during 29 years as head coach of
the Dallas Cowboys. November
19, 1990 Fred
Anderson of Pacific Coast Building Products, Inc., founder and owner of one of Amercia's largest privately owned companies,
acquires majority ownership of the Sacramento franchise. In his first personnel decision, Anderson names former NFL
and USFL executive Mike Keller as the team's general manager. November 28, 1990 Raj Bhathal, owner of one of the largest swimwear companies in the United States
- Raj Manufacturing - becomes owner of the Orlando franchise and names the team the "Thunder," the first WLAF team
to recieve a nickname. November
29, 1990 George
Shinn, owner and chief architect behind the Charlotte Hornets' NBA expansion success story, acquires ownership rights to the
Raleigh-Durham franchise and proceeds to name Roman Gabriel, former Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback,
as the club's General Manager. December 3, 1990 WLAF signs two year agreement with British Sky Broadcasting's Eurosport to provide live or delayed TV coverage
of its games to 21 nations, with a potential 52 million viewers in Europe. December 4, 1990 Sacramento announces its team name - the "Surge" December 5, 1990 Josep M. Figueras, prominent real estate entrepeneur and
President of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, is named owner of the Barcelona franchise and announces its team's nickname
- "Dragons" December
6, 1990 A
consortium headed by restauranteur and hotel owner Bob Payton is announced as operator of the London franchise. Named
London's President, Payton, founder of My Kinda Town restaurant chain, announces that the team's nickname will be the "Monarchs"
and the Billy Hicks, European Coordinator of the WLAF, will become General Manager. December 6, 1990 The Birmingham franchise announces it will be called the
"Fire" and appoints Michael Huyghue, Labor Relations Counsel for four years for the NFL Management Coucil, as General
Manager. December
18, 1990 World
League, which operates the Frankfurt franchise, appoints Oliver Luck, former NFL quarterback and attorner who has practiced
in Germany, as General Manager and reveals the team's name - the "Galaxy". December 20, 1990 League announces that F.X. Sillerman, a communications magnate
whose financial investments include radio stations covering nine U.S. top ten markets, has acquired ownership rights for the
New York franchise. Sillerman announces Reggie Williams, former linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals and a member of
the Cincinnati City Council, will become General Manager of the team to be known as the "Knights". December 20, 1990 A 50 game regular season schedule that begins on March 23,
1991 and ends on May 27 is announced, with the first ever WLAF game to be played in Frankfurt's Waldstadion, when the London
Monarchs visit the Frankfurt Galaxy at 8 pm European time on March 23. December 20, 1990 Kay Stephenson, a former NFL quarterback and one time youngest
NFL coach with the Buffalo Bills, is named Head Coach of the Sacramento Surge, thus becoming the first such field appointment
in the WLAF. December
21, 1990 Roger
Dore, who has served as Promotions Director with La Brasserie Labatt Ltd. for the province of Quebec since 1980, is named
President of the Montreal franchise, which will be known as the "Machine" and will be owned and operated by the
WLAF. December
21, 1990 Chan
Gailey, the Denver Broncos' Offensive Coordinator since 1989 and NCAA Division II national championship winning coach with Troy
(Ala.) State, is named Head Coach of the Birmingham Fire.
WLAF Will Succeed With Tight Rein on Dollar, League President BelievesFebruary 13, 1991 ORLANDO, Fla.
— Considering the history of alternative professional football leagues, you'd think Mike Lynn might be a little apprehensive
about starting the World League of American Football. Instead, the former Minnesota Vikings general manager is convinced
that the WLAF will succeed when it makes its debut in 10 stadiums and five countries next month. http://articles.latimes.com/1991-02-13/sports/sp-1341_1_tight-end Pro Football; Live From Barcelona: W.L.A.F.'s Kickoff on TVBy GERALD ESKENAZIPublished: Sunday,
March 24, 1991 It sounds like an all-comedy radio station. But W.L.A.F. stands for one of the more intriguing experiments in sports history: the World League of American
Football, the first trans-Atlantic major sports league. It is a league created as much
on Madison Avenue as in the Park Avenue offices of the National Football League. And it is here. It opened last night in Frankfurt,
Germany; Birmingham, Ala., and Sacramento, Calif. ABC kicks off its network coverage today by traveling to Barcelona, Spain,
where the New York/New Jersey Knights play. And tomorrow night, the USA cable network will televise San Antonio at Orlando. The helmets and uniforms have been designed with an eye toward retail sales. Thus, the silver-and-black that
helps the Los Angeles Raiders of football and Los Angeles Kings of hockey to lead their leagues in hawking jackets and caps
has been assigned to the Knights, who have added a touch of gold. Indeed, each of the logos
in the 10-team W.L.A.F. has been designed by the league and doled out to individual clubs: the Knights, the Birmingham Fire,
the Orlando Thunder, the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks, the Sacramento Surge, the San Antonio Riders in the States; the Montreal
Machine in Canada and the Barcelona Dragons, Frankfurt Galaxy, and London Monarchs in Europe. Although
each franchise costs $11 million (payable over two years), the new league actually is being underwritten by the N.F.L. Only
the Chicago Bears and the Phoenix Cardinals refused to kick in, so to speak, to get the W.L.A.F. off the ground. By creating the new entity, with salaries paid by the league and not individual clubs (only a few players
will earn as much as $100,000), the N.F.L. has been able to do away with the threat of a rival spring league that could jack
up existing salaries. As important, though, is the potential opening of new worldwide markets keyed to licensing and television
sales. But overseas television revenue for the N.F.L. lags behind merchandise sales. It
has reached about $3 million. By going into key European markets now, the N.F.L. hopes to nurture the seeds for many more
viewers who would watch American-style football. Thus, the World League. It also fills
a television void in the States: the March-April-May Sunday afternoons that ABC, for example, would like to program with fare
that might gain higher ratings. In fact, ABC and NBC proposed a spring league idea to the N.F.L. two years ago. ABC has paid the World League about $24 million for two years. It will televise a game-of-the-week Sunday
afternoons. The USA network will pay about $26 million for the first two years of its four-year deal. In return, USA will
televise all the remaining games, except those played between two European teams in Europe. The cable network's games will
be on Saturday and Monday nights, which will include a game-of-the-week for the 56 million homes that have the service. In
addition, it will have regional games of more limited interest. The league has been able
to start fresh with several innovative rules. They are designed for speed and for viewer interest, and include the following: * Mandatory no-huddle offenses with 35 seconds between plays. * In overtime,
a team must score at least 6 points to gain an outright decision. In other words, a team scoring first with a field goal does
not automatically win. At the end of the period, though, the team with more points wins. *
No instant replay. * Two-point conversions. * Communication
between the sideline and the quarterback will be broadcast over the air. Will it work? If enthusiasm matters, it has a chance. Just listen to Robert F. X. Sillerman, the Knights' owner (and also
50 percent owner of radio station WNEW): "I'm going to make a wild statement. Twenty years from now we'll be here and
people will be talking about whether the top draft pick will go to us or the N.F.L. Our television revenue will be greater
than the N.F.L.'s." Chart: "Dragons, Fire and Monarchs, etc." Barcelona
Dragons Coach: Jack Bicknell. Spent last 10 seasons as head coach of Boston College. Key player: Paul Palmer, ex-1st-round
runner for Kansas City Chiefs. Stadium: Montjuic (70,000). Birmingham Fire Coach: Chan Gailey. Former Broncos' offensive coordinator.
Key player: Brent Pease, first quarterback chosen, former Seahawks' back-up. Stadium: Legion Field (72,000). Frankfurt Galaxy
Coach: Jack Elway. Ex-head coach of Stanford and San Jose State; father of Broncos' John Elway. Key players: Quarterback Mike
Perez, former Giants' seventh-round pick. Stadium: Waldstadion (55,000). London Monarchs Coach: Larry Kennan. Was Colts' offensive
coordinator last two seasons. Key player: Running back Judd Garrett, one of the three Garrett brothers from Princeton now
in World League. Stadium: Wembley (63,500). Montreal Machine Coach: Jacques Dussault. Key player: Ex-Giants' kicker Bjorn
Nittmo. Stadium: Olympic Stadium (61,000). N.Y./N.J. Knights Coach: Mouse Davis. Created "run-'n'-shoot" offense
with Lions' as offensive coordinator the last two seasons. Key player: Quarterback Todd Hammel from Stephen F. Austin. Stadium:
Giants Stadium (76,000). Orlando Thunder Coach: Don Matthews. Had extensive, successful career in Canadian League. Key player:
Quarterback Kerwin Bell, former Florida star. Stadium: Florida Citrus Bowl (70,000). Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks Coach: Roman
Gabriel. Former outstanding Rams and Eagles quarterback. Key player: Mark Maye, former North Carolina quarterback. Stadium:
Carter-Finley Stadium (45,000). Sacramento Surge Coach: Kay Stephenson. Was N.F.L.'s youngest head coach as top man for Bills.
Key player: Pete Najarian, former Tampa Bay linebacker. Stadium: Hughes Stadium (23,000). San Antonio Riders Coach: Mike Riley.
Key players: Garrett brother tandem of Jason throwing to John. Stadium: Alamo Stadium (25,000). Drawings: Team helmets http://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/24/sports/pro-football-live-from-barcelona-wlaf-s-kickoff-on-tv.html FOOTBALL; W.L.A.F. Seasoning in the SunBy THOMAS GEORGEPublished: Sunday, May 5, 1991There is plenty to like, said New York/New Jersey Knights receiver Cornell Burbage, about the World League
of American Football. Nice schedule.
Burbage said the players love being in in February and out in June. Decent pay. Easily $40,000 for players who meet contract
incentives. Pressure to win. But not at all like the pressure in the National Football League. Spirit and camaraderie. Because,
Burbage and others say, so many of the athletes are enjoying football for the first time in their up-and-down careers. But? "The N.F.L. is my goal and it's everybody's goal that's here,"
said the 26-year-old Burbage, who played at Kentucky and then two seasons with the Dallas Cowboys before signing last year
as a Plan B free agent with the Minnesota Vikings, who cut him in training camp. "They're talking about raising the salaries
here next year but most of the guys don't want to be back here next year. I'd say 90 percent are like me and want to get back
to their dream, to the N.F.L." Choosing the Players It is also giving N.F.L. teams
another way to add depth to their rosters, and correct mistakes made in evaluating players. It also, by N.F.L. standards,
offers cheap labor. "We did not go after the player who was right out of college but
the ones who had some type of N.F.L. experience, the kid who teams felt had the talent but needed more time to develop,"
said Jerry Vainisi, the W.L.A.F. vice president of football management. "Each year,
of all the college senior players, 3,000 are evaluated; 1,000 receive grades; 336 are actually drafted and 150 actually make
N.F.L. teams. That's 2,850 players available in each of the last couple of years and room for a lot of mistakes. We've got
360 players now in our league and I'd expect a third of them will sign with N.F.L. teams after our season." That's 120 additional players for N.F.L. teams to scout and scour in training camps this summer. After the
World Bowl -- the new league's championship game -- in London on June 9, all players in the World League are free to sign
with any N.F.L. team. Compensation falls into two categories: for those who signed with the W.L.A.F. before Jan. 15, 1991
and those who signed afterward. The date was chosen to encourage players to sign with the W.L.A.F. The Rules on Signing If a W.L.A.F. player who signed before Jan. 15 later signs with an N.F.L. team as a free agent and remains
under contract with that team after Feb. 1, 1992, his rights are released to that team by the W.L.A.F. If he does not remain
signed past Feb. 1, he owes the World League a two-year option on his playing rights. For
the player who signed with the W.L.A.F. after Jan. 15, the N.F.L. team that signs him must pay a lump sum double his base
salary, with one-third of the money allotted to the player, one-third to the W.L.A.F. and one-third to his W.L.A.F. team.
His rights are then released to his N.F.L. team, which would then negotiate a contract. The same rules apply in each case
for players who might sign with the Canadian Football League. Each N.F.L. team is allowed
to send four players to the W.L.A.F. during the N.F.L. off season, but only the Kansas City Chiefs and the New Orleans Saints
did so, sending two apiece. The four are being paid the same base salary as any other W.L.A.F. players, along with incentive
bonuses. "It's been a mixed bag, something the N.F.L. is trying to work out, on what
is here worth taking and should they be sending guys here for more work," Vainisi said. "Most teams wanted to keep
their players away because of the injury factor. Others weren't sure of the style and caliber of play and if the league would
help them. But I think we've answered the skeptics." Chiefs quarterback Mike Elkins
(Sacramento) and linebacker Tracey Simien (Montreal) and Saints cornerback Calvin Nickleson (San Antonio) and offensive lineman
Bobby Sign (Barcelona) are the four N.F.L. players competing in the World League. Playing for 'All the Right Reasons' "Marty Schottenheimer called me at home in North Carolina in January and explained that this was a chance
for me to get some work in the off season that couldn't be duplicated," said Elkins, who was drafted by Kansas City in
1989 but has played sparingly. "I understand what a lot of these guys here have been
through in the N.F.L. You work on the scout teams in practice and in the preseason you might get five or six minutes or a
quarter. That's too little time to show what you can do. "Here you have a lot of guys
playing the game for all the right reasons. They're having a lot of fun and they're putting out as much intensity as the guys
in the big leagues. I see a lot of guys, talented people, who are going to develop in the right situation in the N.F.L." "In our business," said Larry Wilson, the Phoenix Cardinals' general manager, "team preparation
dictates that you don't get to spend as much time evaluating the players in training camp as you'd like. This is an excellent
way for the ones on the bubble to show their abilities. There are guys there that fit needs of certain teams who are going
to get a shot this summer. And, hey, if they're making $20,000, we'd gladly offer 'em $40,000." http://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/05/sports/football-wlaf-seasoning-in-the-sun.html WLAF Expects to Expand in 1992; One Team Might Be in NFL CityMay 09, 1991 EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The World League
of American Football will add at least two teams next season, and there is a good chance one will be located in a city with
an NFL team, WLAF Commissioner Mike Lynn said Wednesday. Lynn said there is a possibility
the league could add four teams and expand to 14 teams next season. http://articles.latimes.com/1991-05-09/sports/sp-1940_1_nfl-teams FOOTBALL: NOTEBOOK; Initials For W.L.A.F. May Soon Be R.I.P.By TIMOTHY W. SMITHPublished:
Sunday, August 25, 1991The World League of American Football could be facing extinction if supporters among the National Football
League owners can't appease other owners, who aren't happy that the spring league lost nearly $7 million in its inaugural
season. N.F.L. owners met in Dallas last Wednesday
to discuss the future of the W.L.A.F. They left the meeting uncertain about where the league is headed. The options discussed
included continuing with the league in its current form, moving teams to larger television markets, suspending play for a
year to reorganize or folding the league altogether. It's my guess it's going down the
chute," said one N.F.L. owner, who spoke on the condition that he not be identified. "It was much more of a financial
failure than anybody realized it would be. And there doesn't appear to be any light at the end of the tunnel." The World League is supported by the 26 N.F.L. clubs that invested $13 million to start the league and pledged
another $15 million line of credit for its operation in May. Chicago and Phoenix are the two clubs that have never supported
the World League. Dan Rooney, the Pittsburgh Steelers' president and N.F.L. chairman for
the World League, said that while the estimates on the cost of operating the league were "right on the mark," the
estimates on how much revenue it would be generate were not accurate. None of the league's
10 teams made a profit. Reggie Williams, general manager of the New York/New Jersey Knights,
said the league would survive, despite rumors of its demise. "All new businesses,
all new leagues go through a metamorphosis," Williams said. "There will probably be changes. But those changes will
make the league stronger. The concept is very sound." The biggest question facing
the World League is whether ABC and the USA Network will continue to support the league beyond their two-year contracts. The World League games on the USA Network averaged a 1.2 rating (646,000 television households) on the games
that started at 8 P.M. and averaged a 0.8 rating (430,000 households) for the games starting at 2 P.M. One rating point for
cable represents 567,000 households. Mary Lou O'Callaghan, USA Network vice president of
corporate and news media relations, said the cable network will honor the final year its contract. But she said the contract
between the W.L.A.F. and USA would be void if the league is radically altered. ABC officials were unavailable for comment
last week. Rob Correa, USA Network director of sports acquisitions, said the network lost
money on the World League. He would not say how much. Correa said trying to line up advertisers
for World League games will be tougher next season because of the low ratings. "The
bottom line in any television show is you have to give people a reason to watch," Correa said. He believes the league
suffered from overexposure on television last year and needs to have some identifiable N.F.L. stars to increase its appeal
to viewers. Rooney said that between now and Sept. 12, members of the World League board
of directors will meet with television executives, World League team owners and N.F.L. owners in an attempt to find a way
to save the league. He doesn't expect a hard fight with the N.F.L. owners to keep the league afloat. "There's
a lot of room for improvement," Rooney said. "But every new league that starts up takes time to become successful.
People don't remember how the N.F.L. got started. It was tough. Look at the American Football League. That product didn't
improve until the second or third year." For the first time, the N.F.L. has secured
a line of credit worth about $300 million from two banks, Citibank and NCNB Corporation, so that teams can refinance existing
debt. Ten teams have said that they will use the line of credit. The banks were willing
to give the league low interest rates because the risk is spread among more than one borrower. Some
of the teams, which were purchased in recent years, will be using the loans to refinance the huge debts that the owners incurred
to acquire the clubs. Joe Browne, N.F.L. vice president of communications and development,
said the credit line is not a sign that some teams are in financial trouble. "We pool our resources to buy tape, airline
tickets and rent cars," Browne said. "Why not pool our resources to get our money cheaper?" Under the deal, each team will be able to borrow as much as $35 million, or the debt ceiling that has been
established by the N.F.L. for each club. The collateral for the clubs' loans will be each team's annual share of the league's
four-year, $3.64 billion television contract, which is about $32.5 million per club. The
television contract expires in February 1994 and the credit line also ends into 1994. There is concern on the part of some
N.F.L. owners that the line of credit could encourage teams to go deeper into debt and lead to future bankruptcies. If the
next television contract provides less money than the present one and teams have set a pattern of spending up to the debt
ceiling, then some owners could be faced with cutting costs or going bankrupt. "We
can't predict what will happen in 1994," said Thomas Sullivan, the league's treasurer. "If the advertising market
turns around and the European markets start to boom, who knows what the next television contract will be worth. It's so speculative
that we can't address that right now." EXTRA POINT Practice
squads have been approved again for N.F.L. teams this season, after an agreement between the league and a group of attorneys
representing players who filed a lawsuit against the N.F.L. Each team will have three to five inactive players at a minimum
salary of $3,200 a week ($200 more than last year). Teams must spend a minimum of $280,000 and a maximum of $375,000. http://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/25/sports/football-notebook-initials-for-wlaf-may-soon-be-rip.html 1991
January 3, 1991 San Antonio reveals its team name - the "Riders" - and its Vice President
of Football Operations - John Peterson, Player Personnel Director of the Ottawa Rough Riders for the past two years,
and a scout before that with the Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks and the San Diego Chargers. January 10, 1991 Lee Corso, with a background of 28 years of collegiate and
professional coaching, is named General Manager of the Orlando Thunder. January 10, 1991 Raleigh-Durham announces its nickname, head coach
and administrative leader. The team will be known as the "Skyhawks", Roman Gabriel will relinquish his
General Manager duties to become Head Coach and Wayne Thompson, a 15 year management executive in Skyhawks owner George
Shinn's Ruttledge Education System, is appointed Vice President of Administration. January 11, 1991 The Barcelona Dragons announce their management team, with
the appointments of Andrew Brandt, former in-house Counsel and Special Assistant to the President of the World League, as
General Manager, and Jack Bicknell, who elevated Boston College to national prominence during the 1980's, as head coach. January 15, 1991 Montreal Machine appoints its front office/on-field hierarchy,
Gordon Cahill, for 14 years a scout for the Montreal Alouettes/Concordes and the British Columbia Lions and Calgary Stampeders
of the CFL, will be the team's General Manager. Jacques Dussault, with international coaching experience in Canada, the U.S.
and France, will be Head Coach. January 16, 1991 League announces its fifth television package, as Germany's Tele 5 agrees to carry nationally all of the Frankfurt
Galaxy's games, as well as WLAF playoffs and the World Bowl. January 17, 1991 Bruce Dworshak, a veteran sports publicist and administrator familiar with international
sports organizations and competitions, is named European Coordinator of the WLAF. January 18, 1991 League announces that Cal Lepore, with over 35 years of
officiating experience in college and professional football, will be its supervisor of officials: and that Phil Hollingsworth,
with a producer-director sports TV background, has been named Coordinator of Video Services. January 19, 1991 Mike Riley, the 1990 Head Coach of the Year in the CFL,
who won his second Grey Cup Championship in 1990 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, is named Head Coach of the San Antonio Riders. January 28, 1991 The Frankfurt Galaxy appoints Jack Elway, who coached Top
20-ranked college football teams at Stanford and San Jose State as its head coach. February 4, 1991 Larry Kennan, a 25 year coaching veteran who was one fo
the architects of the Los Angeles Raiders' Super Bowl XVIII victory and most recently was offensive coordinator of the Indianapolis
Colts, is named Head Coach of the London Monarchs. February 7, 1991 The Coca-Cola Company, in partnership with local Coca-Cola bottlers in World
League franchise cities, becomes the thirs charter corporate sponsor of the league, siging a three year arrangement to be
the exclusive soft drink, juice and sports drink supplier to the League and its teams. February 8, 1991 First-ever WLAF Owners/Administrative meetings, comprising
all League officials and the owners, executives, coaches and administrative staff from all 10 charter franchises, begin at
the Radisson Plaza Hotel Orlando in Orlando, FL. February 9, 1991 A unique-player allocation system requiring World League teams to choose one
of 10 predetermined sequences in a draft matrix is revealed by League President Mike Lynn. February 10, 1991 Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks Head Coach Roman Gabriel draws first
choice in the first ever WLAF draft selection system and selects the "H" position in the draft matrix, which begins
with wide receiver as the first choice. February 14, 1991 The NY/NJ Knights make the first selection on the first day of the WLAF draft and choose 6-3,
290lb offensive tackle Caesar Rentie of Oklahoma. February 22, 1991 League announces television agreements with Le Reseau Des Sports (RDS), the
French speaking sports cable network for the Province of Quebec and The Sports Network (TSN), the English equivalent of RDS
to carry full coverage of all 10 Montreal Machine games, with a potential viewing audience thoughout Quebec and Canada of
7.4 million viewers. February
24, 1991 League
concludes its first annual draft, choosing defensive backs and assigns 40 Operation Discovery players to its 10 teams. February 25, 1991 Training Camp opens. February 28, 1991 A supplemental draft s conducted of two groups of players:
those from a list of "Coach's Five" players who were unsigned but recommended, five per team, by the league's 10
coaches; and previously signed but undrafted players. 56 players are chosen. March 4, 1991 Eight NFL players are added to WLAF teams in an Enhancement
Allocation Draft. March
4, 1991 Channel
4, Great Britain's premier network for American football coverage, reaches an agreement with the WLAF to televise games every
Saturday throughout the 1991 season. March 23, 1991 WLAF begins its inaugural season with weekend games in Frankfurt, Germany; Sacramento, California;
Birmingham, Alabama; Barcelona, Spain and Orlando, Florida. May 27, 1991 League sets weekend average attendance record of 35,035 as regular season concludes. June 9, 1991 A sellout crowd of 61,108 sees the London Monarchs defeat
the Barcelona Dragons 21-0 at Wembley Stadium in London in World Bowl '91. July 30, 1991 Mike Lynn, under whose stewardship the WLAF launched its
inaugural season, resigns as President of the League to devote full time to his ownership duties with the Minnesota Vikings. September 1, 1991 The NFL begins its 72nd season with 29 WLAF players on its
active, practice or injured-reserved squads. October 23, 1991 The NFL approves a three-year financial plan for the WLAF, which now will play a key part in the
newly formed NFL-International division. All 28 NFL clubs will now share equally in supporting the WLAF. Additionally,
ABC Sports announces the it has agreed to a new three-year contract to carry WLAF games each Sunday through 1994. THe
League reveals that it will field 10 teams in 1992 and expand by four teams in the next three years, adding two franchises
in both 1993 and 1994. November
25, 1991 Michael
Huyghue, General Manager of the North American West Division winning Birmingham Fire, is named Vice President of Administraton
and General Counsel of the WLAF. November 26, 1991 Columbus, Ohio, a burgeoning U.S. market with a rich American football tradition, is awarded the first expansion
franchise in WLAF history. Peter Hadhazy, former Cleveland Browns' General Manager and NFL executive, is named the team's
General Manager. December
10, 1991 Richard
M. Regan, Jr., the League's Vice President of Finance, is appointed Vice President of European Operations, to be based in
London. December
16, 1991 The
League's new franchise from Columbus, Ohio, announces their new name, the "Ohio Glory". December 20, 1991 Montreal, which celebrates its 350th anniversary in 1992,
is awarded World Bowl '92 to be played on June 6.
1991
WLAF Results & Standings | Week 1 |
|---|
| Teams | Final | Attendance | Day | Date |
|---|
Montreal Machine
@ Birmingham Fire | 20
5 | | 53,000 | Sat | 03/23/1991 | London
Monarchs
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 24
11 | | 23,169 | Sat | 03/23/1991 | Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks
@ Sacramento
Surge | 3
9 | | 15,126 | Sat | 03/23/1991 | New York/New Jersey Knights
@ Barcelona Dragons | 7
19 | | 19,223 | Sun | 03/24/1991 | San Antonio Riders
@ Orlando Thunder | 34
35 | | 21,714 | Mon | 03/25/1991 | | Week
2 |
|---|
Sacramento Surge
@ Birmingham Fire | 10
17 | | 16,500 | Sat | 03/30/1991 | Raleigh-Durham
Skyhawks
@ Orlando Thunder | 20
58 | | 20,811 | Sat | 03/30/1991 | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ San Antonio
Riders | 10
3 | | 18,432 | Sat | 03/30/1991 | New York/New Jersey Knights
@ London Monarchs | 18
22 | | 46,952 | Sun | 03/31/1991 | Barcelona Dragons
@ Montreal Machine | 34
10 | | 53,238 | Mon | 04/01/1991 | | Week
3 |
|---|
Orlando Thunder
@ London Monarchs | 12
35 | | 35,327 | Sat | 04/06/1991 | Barcelona
Dragons
@ Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks | 26
14 | | 19,656 | Sat | 04/06/1991 | Sacramento Surge
@ San Antonio
Riders | 3
10 | | 6,772 | Sun | 04/07/1991 | Birmingham Fire
@ Montreal Machine | 10
23 | | 27,766 | Mon | 04/08/1991 | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ New York/New Jersey Knights | 27
17 | | 36,546 | Mon | 04/08/1991 | | Week
4 |
|---|
New York/New Jersey Knights
@ Montreal Machine | 44
0 | | 34,821 | Sat | 04/13/1991 | Orlando Thunder
@ Barcelona Dragons | 13
33 | | 40,875 | Sun | 04/14/1991 | London
Monarchs
@ Birmingham Fire | 27
0 | | 18,500 | Mon | 04/15/1991 | San Antonio Riders
@ Raleigh-Durham
Skyhawks | 37
15 | | 13,500 | Mon | 04/15/1991 | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Sacramento Surge | 10
16 | | 17,065 | Mon | 04/15/1991 | | Week 5 |
|---|
Barcelona Dragons
@ San Antonio Riders | 14
22 | | 16,500 | Sat | 04/20/1991 | Montreal Machine
@ London Monarchs | 7
45 | | 35,294 | Sat | 04/20/1991 | Raleigh-Durham
Skyhawks
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 28
30 | | 21,065 | Sun | 04/21/1991 | Birmingham Fire
@ Orlando Thunder | 31
6 | | 21,249 | Sun | 04/21/1991 | Sacramento Surge
@ New York/New Jersey Knights | 20
28 | | 21,230 | Mon | 04/22/1991 | | Week
6 |
|---|
Barcelona Dragons
@ Sacramento Surge | 29
20 | OT | 19,045 | Sat | 04/27/1991 | Orlando
Thunder
@ New York/New Jersey Knights | 6
42 | | 30,046 | Sat | 04/27/1991 | Montreal Machine
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 7
17 | | 25,269 | Sat | 04/27/1991 | Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks
@ London Monarchs | 10
35 | | 33,997 | Sun | 04/28/1991 | San Antonio
Riders
@ Birmingham Fire | 12
16 | | 8,000 | Mon | 04/29/1991 | | Week 7 |
|---|
Birmingham
Fire
@ Barcelona Dragons | 6
11 | | 31,490 | Sat | 05/04/1991 | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Orlando Thunder | 17
14 | | 11,270 | Sat | 05/04/1991 | Montreal Machine
@ Sacramento Surge | 26
23 | OT | 17,326 | Sat | 05/04/1991 | New York/New
Jersey Knights
@ Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks | 42
6 | | 10,069 | Sun | 05/05/1991 | London Monarchs
@ San Antonio Riders | 38
15 | | 12,328 | Mon | 05/06/1991 | | Week 8 |
|---|
San Antonio Riders
@ Barcelona Dragons | 7
17 | | 23,670 | Sat | 05/11/1991 | London Monarchs
@ New York/New Jersey Knights | 22
7 | | 41,219 | Sat | 05/11/1991 | Sacramento
Surge
@ Orlando Thunder | 33
45 | | 20,048 | Sat | 05/11/1991 | Birmingham Fire
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 3
10 | | 28,127 | Sun | 05/12/1991 | Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks
@ Montreal Machine | 6
15 | | 20,123 | Mon | 05/13/1991 | | Week
9 |
|---|
London Monarchs
@ Sacramento Surge | 45
21 | | 21,409 | Sat | 05/18/1991 | Frankfurt
Galaxy
@ Barcelona Dragons | 10
3 | | 29,753 | Sun | 05/19/1991 | Montreal Machine
@ San Antonio
Riders | 10
27 | | 20,234 | Sun | 05/19/1991 | New York/New Jersey Knights
@ Birmingham Fire | 14
24 | | 31,500 | Mon | 05/20/1991 | Orlando Thunder
@ Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks | 20
14 | | 4,207 | Mon | 05/20/1991 | | Week
10 |
|---|
Sacramento Surge
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 24
13 | | 51,653 | Sat | 05/25/1991 | San Antonio
Riders
@ New York/New Jersey Knights | 9
38 | | 32,857 | Sat | 05/25/1991 | Birmingham Fire
@ Raleigh-Durham
Skyhawks | 28
7 | | 16,335 | Sat | 05/25/1991 | Barcelona Dragons
@ London Monarchs | 20
17 | | 50,835 | Mon | 05/27/1991 | Orlando Thunder
@ Montreal Machine | 33
27 | OT | 23,493 | Mon | 05/27/1991 | | Semifinals |
|---|
Barcelona Dragons
@ Birmingham Fire | 10
3 | | 40,500 | Sat | 06/01/1991 | London
Monarchs
@ New York/New Jersey Knights | 42
26 | | 23,149 | Sun | 06/02/1991 | | World Bowl 1991 at London, England |
|---|
Barcelona Dragons
@ London Monarchs | 0
21 | | 61,108 | Sun | 06/09/1991 |
The Adventure Begins
After years of preparation and
waiting, the World League of American Football kicked off on March 23, 1991, and the opening weekend was an historic occasion as memorable games were played
on both sides of the Atlantic.
The
inaugural World League season stumbled to life as defenses dominated the early stages, but there were enough flashes of the
offensive fireworks promised by league officials to get the pulse racing and create interest in the fledgling set-up. The World League adventure began in Frankfurt, Germany, where the hometown Galaxy played host to the London Monarchs before a crowd of 23,167 at the Waldstadion. It was quite an event on and off the field as football fans in Germany were treated to an entertainment-filled evening. The action began before a block
had even been thrown in anger as World League president Mike Lynn touched down at midfield in a helicopter to deliver the
game ball. English
kicker Phil Alexander then launched the ball high into the air and his compatriot, national running back Victor Ebubedike,
made the first tackle of the new season to prove the league truly was going to be an international affair. What followed was by no means
pretty as both teams struggled to move the football and combined to tally just 41 yards of offense in the first quarter. With both offenses struggling
so badly, it was only fitting that the first points in World League history should come on a safety as Galaxy defensive tackle
Chris Williams burst through the Monarchs' offensive line to drop running back Judd Garrett in the endzone. Frankfurt extended their lead in the second quarter when German kicker
Stephan Maslo kicked a 25-yard field goal to make it 5-0. Fans at the Waldstadion could have been forgiven for thinking they
were at a soccer match after a quick glance at the scoreboard. Maslo's field goal did enough to wake the Monarchs, who had struggled
for one and a half quarters under the guidance of quarterback Jon Witkowski. He finally led the Monarchs on a 13-play, 79-yard drive which was
capped by David Smith's 28-yard scoring run, which transpired thanks to some excellent blocking up front by an offensive line
unit which would become known as The Nasty Boyz. Alexander added the conversion and the Monarchs went into the break with
a 7-5 lead. The
promised fireworks emerged in the second half and it was the rejuvenated Monarchs who came out full of confidence and stormed
to victory in impressive fashion. Former San Diego Chargers wide receiver Dana Brinson gave the Monarchs the spark they
were looking for when he returned the opening kickoff 47 yards. With ex-Buffalo Bills quarterback Stan Gelbaugh in the game for
Witkowski, the Monarchs found their offensive rhythm and reeled off 17 unanswered points. Alexander stretched London's
lead to 10-5 with a 25-yard field goal before Gelbaugh broke the game wide open with a spectacular 97-yard touchdown pass
to wide receiver Jon Horton while being forced to throw out of his own endzone.
onarchs head coach Larry Kennan said of the record-setting play: "Jon's effort was outstanding and Stan
threw the ball very well, right on the money." The Galaxy
fumbled away possession on the ensuing kickoff and London
wasted no time in icing the game and completing their 17-point third quarter. Brinson took a reverse handoff from Gelbaugh and raced away from
the Galaxy defenders, turning the corner for an 8-yard touchdown run. Alexander kicked the extra point to complete the scoring
for the Monarchs. Frankfurt mustered a consolation
touchdown in the fourth quarter but couldn't prevent a 24-11 victory for Kennan's Monarchs. The delighted head coach said: "I'm thrilled for everyone. It's great to be
here and be part of the first World League game. I'm really proud right now to be a London Monarch. I love our guys, they really rallied when we were behind." Gelbaugh, who completed 10-of-16
passes for 189 yards in one half of action was very impressed with the European fans. He said: "As long as you get fan
support like we did tonight, I don't see how you can lose." Defenses dominated the remaining two games that were played on
the opening Saturday night of the inaugural season. Montreal Machine gained just 179 total yards but used strong defense
and the kicking of Bjorn Nittmo to down the Birmingham
Fire 20-5 before 52,942 fans at Legion Field. Sacramento Surge relied on a 1-yard touchdown run from Paul Frazier with
3:47 remaining in a rain-soaked affair
to see off the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks 9-3. On Sunday
March 24, Barcelona Dragons overcame the New York/New Jersey Knights 19-7, courtesy of quarterback Scott Erney's 43-yard touchdown pass to
wide receiver Gene Taylor, and 6-yard TD run. The offensive performance of opening weekend came on Monday Night
Football as the Orlando Thunder edged past the San Antonio Riders 35-34 in a thriller at the Florida Citrus Bowl. Orlando's first round draft pick, quarterback Kerwin Bell, earned the inaugural Player
of the Week award by throwing for 269 yards and 5 touchdowns. The man on the receiving end of Bell's best passes was WR Byron Williams, who had 4 catches for 113
yards and 3 touchdowns. San Antonio twice rallied from 14 points down behind the passing of Jason Garrett, and the game was
only decided with 1:24 left in regulation when kicker Teddy Garcia missed an extra point attempt that would have sent the
game into overtime. After a slow start, opening weekend exploded to life with that Orlando-San Antonio game and proved the World
League would be an exciting product worthy of all the preseason hype and buildup. It proved to be a weekend that had everything: safeties, long touchdown
passes, missed extra points, close finishes and big crowds. While many games have since been played in the World League and
NFL Europe, the opening weekend of the 1991 season will stay in the memory for a long time.
TIME MAGAZINE ARTICLE The World League of American Football is in big trouble Stateside.
The NFL- backed spring league lost more than $5 million in its rookie
season, has already replaced two commissioners,
and had TV ratings in the U.S. that were half what the league had hoped they would be.
Now, faced with having
to ante up $600,000 to $700,000 to keep the league around for a second year, several NFL owners will gather in
Dallas
for a fate- of-the-WLAF meeting on Sept. 12, intent on withdrawing their support. ''It's a financial sinkhole, and we're
throwing good money after bad,'' said one NFL team executive last week.
Any good news? If there is, it's
all abroad: Paris wants a franchise, as do Amsterdam and Bogota and Tel Aviv . . . and even Lithuania and Moscow. Imagine that Lithuania-Sacramento rivalry. WLAF fever. Catch it.
Copyright 1991 Time Inc.
FOOTBALL; It's Baaack! World League Set to Begin Second SeasonBy GERALD ESKENAZIPublished: Saturday,
March 21, 1992In New York, they'd like you to think of it
as a sort of National Football League in the spring. Anyplace else, it's the World League. And it's back, with its shortened
name, starting today. "We're opening in an entirely different environment. We have
some sort of track record now," said the league's chief operating officer, Joe Bailey. It
used to be called the World League of American Football, 10 teams that included three in Europe. But the success it met in
Barcelona, Spain, Frankfurt and London was so surprising, that league officials felt the "American Football" tag
was superfluous. Play begins with two games today, with three completing the first weekend
on Sunday, including the New York/New Jersey Knights, who play the league-champion Monarchs at London in a game that will
be televised by ABC-TV at 4 P.M. (Eastern time). Gone are the Monday night games. Gone,
too, is the Raleigh-Durham team, a victim of inattention by fans. That franchise was replaced by the Ohio Glory. Both the
USA cable network and ABC have returned to televise the games, which will now be shown on a regional basis. Still, both networks signed a three-year deal that will enrich the league by a total of about $25 million
a year. Look closely, and the signs of an N.F.L. partnership are unmistakable (the established
league is underwriting the operation). On World League stationery, the N.F.L. logo made its first appearance this week, albeit
on the bottom of the page. This was to be the great leap forward for N.F.L. player involvement
in the new league. And the N.F.L. did assign 110 players to training camps. About two-thirds have made the World League teams. "They're not the top guys, but they're the 40th or 41st guys, and that's not too bad," says Boomer
Esiason, who is returning as an analyst for the USA network. He is getting his voice in shape for calling signals as the Bengals'
quarterback. "On the Knights, you've got Brian Holloway trying to make a comeback,"
he said of the former Patriots' star offensive lineman. "At least now you've got the semblance of professionalism."
Slack at Quarterback Their most important newcomer is a Houston Oiler quarterback who has
never been in an N.F.L. game -- Reggie Slack. The former Auburn star spent two years practicing with the Oilers, though, and
is familiar with the run-and-shoot offense, a trademark of the Mouse Davis-coached Knights. "We're
way ahead of where we were last year," says Slack. "Many of the receivers had never been in a run-and-shoot before." The season will be 10 games long, followed by one weekend of semifinal playoffs, and then the World Bowl in
Montreal on June 6. EXTRA POINTS The league will experiment with two helmet cameras --
on offense and defense -- when USA televises games so that a player will always be on the field wearing the contraption. And
quarterbacks will be employing some sort of microphone so that the linemen farthest from him can hear the signals. The N.F.L.
is especially interested in this experiment that attempts to counteract crowd noise. . . . The league averaged about 26,000
fans a game in its first season, with that average bolstered because of larger European crowds. http://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/21/sports/football-it-s-baaack-world-league-set-to-begin-second-season.html WORLD LEAGUE HOPES NEW NFL BACKING MEANS IT'S NO LONGER PLAYING FOR LAFS
Published on March 21, 1992
Author: By MILT NORTHROP - News Sports Reporter
© The Buffalo News Inc. The
World League isn't for LAFs anymore. Laughs maybe, but not LAFs. What used to be known as the World League of American Football (WLAF) is now simply the World League. A spring
football league is still a spring football league no matter what you call it. This creation of the National Football League
opens its second season this weekend with five games. The WLAF will play a 10-week regular season plus a two-week post-season.
It will all end June 6 when the World Bowl '92 championship game will be staged in Montreal's Olympic Stadium. Again ABC and
the USA network will each televise a game of the week. WL rosters are made up of a combination of NFL Wannabes, Usedtobes
and Wannabeagains. Most of the players on the 36-man rosters are young hopefuls, but there is a sprinkling of aging veterans
such as former Buffalo Bills fullback Larry Kinnebrew, who has signed on with the WL's newest entry, the Ohio Glory. Nine
of the 10 teams that operated a year ago return to the World League. Also, there is a new commissioner (Joe Bailey) and three
new head coaches (Ray Willsey, Galen Hall and Larry Little). Most important, perhaps, there is the unanimous, if not enthusiastic,
backing of all 28 NFL teams, which are shareholders in the operations. Last year, only 26 of 28 NFL teams invested in it.
The new team is the Glory, based in Ohio State University's Stadium at Columbus. Ohio replaces the Raleigh-Durham entry, which
turned out to be an embarrassment both on the field (0-10) and at the gate in 1991. The
World League's goal this year is to gain a stronger foothold in North America. Oddly enough, American football is a qualified
hit in Europe. Quarterbacked by ex-Buffalo Bill Stan Gelbaugh, the London Monarchs won World Bowl '91 in London's Wembley
Stadium. London also led the league in attendance, averaging 40,481, according to league figures. The two other European entries,
the Frankfurt Galaxy (29,803) and the Barcelona Dragons (29,002) ranked in the top five in attendance. Frankfurt, in fact,
outdrew all but three German soccer teams. The Monarchs already have sold 3,000 season tickets, as opposed to 900 last year,
and has sold more than 20,000 seats for Sunday's home opener against New York/New Jersey. The Galaxy have sold 8,500 season
tickets -- more than 20 times as many as last season. The Dragons have 33,000 members in their fan club and -- like London
and Frankfurt -- are assured of extensive local TV coverage. The World League's toughest sell was in the American Sun Belt.
Raleigh-Durham, San Antonio, Sacramento and Orlando were the bottom four teams in attendance. They also were a combined 12-28
on the field. With a year's operation behind it, smoother sailing is forecast by league officials. What may help more is the
100 or so players allotted the new league by the parent NFL. You will see a much more professional product in place,"
promises Jerry Vainisi, the World League's vice president of football management. Bailey is now the league's chief operating
officer, replacing Mike Lynn, who succeeded Tex Schram. Bailey was a Dallas Cowboys executive. Vainisi is a former Chicago
Bears general manager. Granted, the NFL allocation doesn't include many marquee players, but it will upgrade the league's
level of quarterbacking. Eleven quarterbacks, including Gelbaugh, now under contract with Seattle, were among the players
assigned to the spring league. Gelbaugh was the league's MVP on offense a year ago
for the Monarchs. Besides providing employment for out-of-work NFL executives and coaches, the World League serves at least
a three-fold purpose for the NFL. First, it is keeping potential spring rivals such as the old USFL off the field. It also
is letting the NFL get its foot in the door in the promising European market, where NFL games enjoy some popularity on TV.
It also is serving as a modest source of developing talent. Nearly one third of last spring's World League players (117) signed
with NFL clubs, with 30 making the final regular-season rosters. Here's some basic information on the WL teams (last year's
records in parentheses), including some interesting players and those with some past connection with the Bills: North American East Division New York/New Jersey Knights (5-5) --
Quarterback, Reggie Slack (Houston Oilers); Most Interesting Player, 32-year-old former New England Patriots tackle Brian
Holloway; Ex-Bills, none. Orlando Thunder (5-5) -- Quarterback, Kerwin Bell or Scott
Mitchell (Miami Dolphins); Most Interesting Player, ex-New York Jets FB Roger Vick; Ex-Bill, WR Joe Howard Johnson (Washington
Redskins). Montreal Machine (4-6) -- QB, Anthony Dilweg (Los Angeles Raiders); Most
Interesting Player, WR Andre Brown (ex-Dolphin); allocated by Bills, DE Darrell Davis; Ex-Bill, WR Reggie Bynum and K Bjorn
Nittmo. Ohio Glory (first year) -- QB, Babe Laufenberg; MIP, Kinnebrew. North American West Division Birmingham Fire (5-5) -- QB, Mike Norseth
or Greg Jones (Detroit Lions); MIP, OT Joe Valerio (Kansas City's second-round pick from Penn in 1991); Ex-Bills, OT Caesar
Rentie and C Tony DeLorenzo. San Antonio Riders (4-6) -- QB, Brad Goebel (Philadelphia
Eagles) or Craig Kupp (Dallas Cowboys); MIP, RB Tony Boles (Michigan); Ex-Bills, K Jim Gallery and CB Chris Oldham. Sacramento Surge (3-7) -- QB, David Archer; MIP, S Louis Riddick (brother of ex-Bills RB Robb Riddick); Ex-Bills,
Stephenson, defensive coordinator Jim Haslett, defensive assistant coach Jim Niblack,
NT John Dominic, K-P John Nies. European Division London
Knights (9-1) -- QB, Gelbaugh; MIP, flashy WR Danny Lockett; Ex-Bills, Gelbaugh, WR Bernard Ford and RB Judd Garrett. Barcelona Dragons (8-2) -- QB, Scott Erney (Rutgers), Scott Campbell (ex-Pittsburgh Steeler) or Tony Rice
(Notre Dame); MIPs, 34-year-old DE Bruce Clark (ex-New Orleans Saint), 31-year-old WR Dennis McKinnon (ex-Chicago Bear). Frankfurt Galaxy (7-3) -- QB, Mike Perez (New York Giants); Ex-Bill: WR Lew Barnes.
Bill Wippert/Buffalo
News Punter John Nies is among the former Bills kicking around World League.
1992 8 January 1992 World League teams
protect 26 players 4-5 February Second annual
World League Draft is held in Dallas 16 February Teams report to training camps in Orlando, FL and San Antonio, TX 17
February Deadline for NFL teams to declare which players
will be available to play in WLAF 20 February Enhancement Allocation Draft of NFL Players. Teams increase club roster to 60 23
February NFL players report 28-29
February First assigned scrimmmages and joint workouts 1
March Roster cutdown to 48 players (international teams to
have three Operation Discovery players) 6-7 March Second assigned scrimmages and joint workouts 8 March Roster cutdown to 40 players (international teams to have three Operation Discovery players) 12-15
March Five tiebreaker games - "Tiebreaker Weekend" 15
March Final roster cutdown to 36 (international teams to
have three Operation Discovery players) 17 March Team Dallas Roster identified 21-22 March Opening weekend
6 June
Sacremento beats Orlando
21-17 in the second World Bowl in Montreal
17 September
Play is suspended as the NFL clubs vote for a restructure including more European
teams
1992 WLAF Results and Standings | Team | Record | PF | PA | | European Division |  Barcelona Dragons | 5-5-0 | 104 | 161 |  Frankfurt Galaxy | 3-7-0 | 150 | 257 |  London Monarchs | 2-7-1 | 178 | 203 | | North American East Division |  Orlando Thunder | 8-2-0 | 247 | 127 | | New York/New Jersey Knights | 6-4-0 | 248 | 188 |  Montreal Machine | 2-8-0 | 175 | 274 | | Ohio Glory | 1-9-0 | 132 | 230 | | North American West Division | | Sacramento Surge | 8-2-0 | 250 | 152 | | Birmingham Fire | 7-2-1 | 192 | 165 | | San Antonio Riders | 7-3-0 | 195 | 150 | | Playoffs | | Orlando | 45 | Birmingham | 7 | | Sacramento | 17 | Barcelona | 15 | | World Bowl
II (Montreal) | | Sacramento | 21 | Orlando | 17 |
Preseason games London
Monarchs at Birmingham Fire 14-13 NY/NJ Knights at Frankfurt Galaxy 28- 9 Barcelona Dragons at Orlando
Thunder 7-17 Montreal Machine at Sacramento Surge 14-21 Ohio Glory at San Antonio Riders 7-33 | Week 1 |
|---|
| Teams | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | Final | Attendance | Day | Date |
|---|
Birmingham Fire
@ Sacramento Surge | 3
0 | 0
13 | 3
7 | 0
0 | | 6
20 | 17,920 | Sat | 03-21-92 | Frankfurt
Galaxy
@ Barcelona Dragons | 0
0 | 0
0 | 3
0 | 14
0 | | 17
0 | 25,788 | Sat | 03-21-92 | Montreal Machine
@ San Antonio Riders | 6
7 | 7
7 | 3
3 | 0
0 | | 16
17 | 10,698 | Sun | 03-22-92 | New York/New Jersey Knights
@ London Monarchs | 0
3 | 10
3 | 0
7 | 10
7 | 0
6 | 20
26 | 30,167 | Sun | 03-22-92 | Ohio
Glory
@ Orlando Thunder | 0
0 | 3
10 | 6
3 | 0
0 | | 9
13 | 10,622 | Sun | 03-22-92 | | Week 2 |
|---|
Sacramento Surge
@ Ohio Glory | 7
6 | 7
0 | 0
0 | 3
0 | | 17
6 | 37,837 | Sat | 03-28-92 | San Antonio Riders
@ Birmingham Fire | 3
0 | 0
17 | 7
0 | 0
0 | | 10
17 | 16,250 | Sat | 03-28-92 | Orlando Thunder
@ Montreal Machine | 0
14 | 3
0 | 12
6 | 14
11 | | 29
31 | 36,022 | Sat | 03-28-92 | Frankfurt
Galaxy
@ London Monarchs | 10
0 | 3
14 | 8
14 | 10
0 | | 31
28 | 21,799 | Sat | 03-28-92 | New York/New Jersey Knights
@ Barcelona
Dragons | 7
0 | 7
3 | 0
6 | 0
6 | | 14
15 | 17,780 | Sat | 03-28-92 | | Week 3 |
|---|
San Antonio
Riders
@ New York/New Jersey Knights | 0
3 | 0
0 | 3
0 | 6
0 | | 9
3 | 33,659 | Sat | 04-04-92 | Montreal Machine
@ Sacramento Surge | 0
7 | 0
0 | 0
0 | 7
7 | | 7
14 | 21,024 | Sat | 04-04-92 | London Monarchs
@ Barcelona Dragons | 0
7 | 0
6 | 0
0 | 7
0 | | 7
13 | 19,337 | Sat | 04-04-92 | Orlando Thunder
@ Ohio Glory | 0
0 | 14
3 | 14
0 | 0
0 | | 28
3 | 31,232 | Sun | 04-05-92 | Birmingham Fire
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
0 | 14
0 | 0
7 | 3
0 | | 17
7 | 33,857 | Sun | 04-05-92 | | Week 4 |
|---|
San Antonio Riders
@ Sacramento Surge | 0
6 | 7
7 | 0
0 | 13
7 | 3
0 | 23
20 | 20,625 | Sat | 04-11-92 | Barcelona Dragons
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
17 | 13
0 | 0
0 | 7
0 | | 20
17 | 34,376 | Sat | 04-11-92 | Birmingham
Fire
@ London Monarchs | 7
0 | 0
10 | 0
7 | 10
0 | 0
0 | 17
17 | 20,370 | Sat | 04-11-92 | Ohio Glory
@ Montreal Machine | 0
7 | 0
14 | 0
3 | 20
7 | | 20
31 | 28,533 | Sun | 04-12-92 | New York/New Jersey Knights
@ Orlando Thunder | 14
7 | 7
22 | 0
3 | 0
7 | | 21
39 | 31,191 | Sun | 04-12-92 | | Week
5 |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ New York/New Jersey Knights | 0
14 | 14
0 | 0
7 | 7
3 | | 21
24 | 24,943 | Sat | 04-18-92 | Sacramento Surge
@ Birmingham Fire | 0
0 | 7
6 | 7
8 | 0
14 | | 14
28 | 20,794 | Sat | 04-18-92 | Barcelona
Dragons
@ London Monarchs | 0
0 | 6
0 | 0
0 | 3
0 | | 9
0 | 18,518 | Sat | 04-18-92 | Montreal Machine
@ Orlando Thunder | 0
3 | 0
10 | 0
3 | 8
0 | | 8
16 | 8,310 | Sun | 04-19-92 | Ohio Glory
@ San Antonio Riders | 0
7 | 0
10 | 0
0 | 0
0 | | 0
17 | 10,422 | Sun | 04-19-92 | | Week
6 |
|---|
Birmingham Fire
@ San Antonio Riders | 7
0 | 7
17 | 0
0 | 0
0 | | 14
17 | 13,590 | Sat | 04-25-92 | Orlando
Thunder
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
0 | 21
0 | 10
0 | 7
0 | | 38
0 | 38,104 | Sat | 04-25-92 | New York/New Jersey Knights
@ Montreal
Machine | 7
3 | 7
0 | 14
0 | 6
8 | | 34
11 | 25,896 | Sun | 04-26-92 | Sacramento Surge
@ London Monarchs | 0
0 | 21
10 | 3
7 | 7
9 | | 31
26 | 18,653 | Sun | 04-26-92 | Ohio Glory
@ Barcelona Dragons | 0
0 | 2
14 | 0
6 | 8
0 | | 10
20 | 49,657 | Sun | 04-26-92 | | Week
7 |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Ohio Glory | 7
7 | 0
7 | 7
0 | 3
6 | | 17
20 | 41,853 | Sat | 05-02-92 | Barcelona
Dragons
@ Birmingham Fire | 0
3 | 7
7 | 0
3 | 10
6 | | 17
19 | 11,187 | Sat | 05-02-92 | Sacramento Surge
@ Montreal Machine | 7
3 | 14
7 | 7
8 | 7
3 | | 35
21 | 21,183 | Sun | 05-03-92 | London Monarchs
@ New York/New Jersey Knights | 0
17 | 3
0 | 3
10 | 7
14 | | 13
41 | 30,112 | Sun | 05-03-92 | Orlando
Thunder
@ San Antonio Riders | 3
0 | 16
14 | 13
0 | 7
7 | | 39
21 | 12,555 | Sun | 05-03-92 | | Week 8 |
|---|
London
Monarchs
@ Orlando Thunder | 0
0 | 0
6 | 0
0 | 3
0 | | 0
9 | 20,268 | Sat | 05-09-92 | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Sacramento Surge | 0
10 | 7
20 | 0
14 | 0
7 | | 7
51 | 22,720 | Sat | 05-09-92 | Montreal Machine
@ Birmingham Fire | 3
3 | 0
7 | 0
3 | 13
3 | 0
7 | 16
23 | 9,764 | Sun | 05-10-92 | San Antonio
Riders
@ Barcelona Dragons | 7
0 | 3
0 | 7
0 | 0
0 | | 17
0 | 41,220 | Sun | 05-10-92 | New York/New Jersey Knights
@ Ohio Glory | 7
7 | 20
7 | 0
3 | 6
16 | 6
0 | 39
33 | 20,516 | Sun | 05-10-92 | | Week 9 |
|---|
Barcelona Dragons
@ New York/New Jersey Knights | 0
10 | 0
6 | 0
10 | 0
21 | | 0
47 | 22,917 | Sat | 05-16-92 | Ohio Glory
@ Sacramento Surge | 0
0 | 0
14 | 0
0 | 7
7 | | 7
21 | 21,272 | Sat | 05-16-92 | London Monarchs
@ Montreal Machine | 0
0 | 24
7 | 14
0 | 7
6 | | 45
13 | 14,637 | Sun | 05-17-92 | Orlando Thunder
@ Birmingham Fire | 3
7 | 7
14 | 7
0 | 6
3 | | 23
24 | 15,186 | Sun | 05-17-92 | San Antonio Riders
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 3
0 | 17
0 | 7
7 | 16
7 | | 43
14 | 31,600 | Sun | 05-17-92 | | Week
10 |
|---|
London Monarchs
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 6
7 | 3
7 | 7
2 | 0
3 | | 16
19 | 43,259 | Sat | 05-23-92 | Birmingham
Fire
@ Ohio Glory | 14
10 | 3
14 | 7
0 | 3
0 | | 27
24 | 23,020 | Sat | 05-23-92 | Sacramento Surge
@ San Antonio Riders | 0
6 | 14
15 | 10
0 | 3
0 | | 27
21 | 19,273 | Sat | 05-23-92 | Barcelona Dragons
@ Orlando Thunder | 0
0 | 7
7 | 3
3 | 0
3 | | 10
13 | 12,223 | Sat | 05-23-92 | Montreal
Machine
@ New York/New Jersey Knights | 7
7 | 0
24 | 8
3 | 6
7 | | 21
41 | 18,277 | Sat | 05-23-92 | | Playoffs |
|---|
Birmingham
Fire
@ Orlando Thunder | 0
23 | 0
9 | 0
10 | 7
3 | | 7
45 | 28,746 | Sat | 05-30-92 | Barcelona Dragons
@ Sacramento Surge | 0
0 | 3
7 | 12
7 | 0
3 | | 15
17 | 23,640 | Sun | 05-31-92 | | World Bowl 1992 at Montreal, Canada |
|---|
Orlando Thunder
vs Sacramento Surge | 7
0 | 10
6 | 0
0 | 0
15 | | 17
21 | 43,789 | Sat | 06-06-92 |
http://www.hworth.net/nflel/scores1992.html
1992 was the first year that the league had the third string quarterback suit up
for games. In 1991, the 3rd stringers would be on the roster but would not suit up. The only time the third stringer
could play was when both the first and second strings were injured.
1993 October 27, 1993 NFL clubs
meet in Chicago to plan for a new 6 team league in Europe. The plan is approved. Play will start in 1995.
1994 January 1994 Reebok International Ltd. is named official league sponsor. Reebok will design and be the exclusive
supplier of uniforms for the league. The company will also produce sideline apparel, headwear, gloves, and other accessories.
Reebok is also the league's exclusive supplier of football shoes and preseason footwear to players, coaching staff, sideline
personnel, game officials, and cheerleaders. March 23, 1994 NFL
and Fox announce a joint-partnership in new World League to begin play in 1995. The new league will have six teams in Europe,
including the London Monarchs, Frankfurt Galaxy and Barcelona Dragons. The league will be governed by a board of directors
with equal representation from the NFL and Fox. July 27, 1994 At
a press conference in London, NFL President Neil Austrian announces that the Amsterdam Admirals, Scottish Claymores, and Rhein
Fire, located in Düsseldorf, Germany, will join the Barcelona Dragons, London Monarchs, and Frankfurt Galaxy in the new
league. The World League's 10-week season will begin on April 8, 1995 and conclude with World Bowl '95 on June 17 or 18. Rosters
will consist of 40 players including seven national players per team. August 23. 1994 London Monarchs announce they will play their home games at White Hart Lane, home of the Tottenham Hotspur. August 27, 1994 Jack Bicknell is reintroduced as head coach of the Barcelona Dragons during a news
conference in Barcelona. Bicknell led the Dragons to a 13-7 mark the first two years of the league. September 4, 1994 NFL Opening Day rosters reveal 43 players with World League experience. September 12, 1994 Marc Lory, a native of France with more than 20 years of international marketing experience, is
named President and CEO of the league. September 13,
1994
Galen Hall, coach of the Orlando Thunder in 1992 is named coach of the Rhein Fire.
September 13, 1994
Ernie Stautner, a member of the Pro Football Hall
of Fame, is named head coach of the Frankfurt Galaxy. Stautner was born in Bavaria.
September 13, 1994
Darrell Roland, an international marketing
executive, is named general manager of the Amsterdam Admirals.
October 6, 1994
Oliver Luck, the original manager of the Frankfurt Galaxy, is named general manager of the new Rhein
Fire team in Dusseldorf. Christoph Heyne succeeds Luck as general manager of the Galaxy.
October 14, 1994
Gareth Moores, an internationals
marketing executive with Reebok, is named general manager of the London Monarchs.
October 25, 1994
Bobby Hammond, an assistant coach with the Philadelphia
Eagles, is named head coach of the London Monarchs.
October 25, 1994
Al Luginbill, a coach or athletic administrator with more than 25 years experience, is named
head coach of the Amsterdam Admirals.
October 25, 1995
Sandy Waters, a former executive with the Denver Broncos, is named general manager of the Scottish
Claymores.
November
2, 1994
Larry
Kuharich is named head coach of the Scottish Claymores.
November 19, 1994
Jordi Vila-Puig, a well-known sports figure in Barcelona, is named the general manager of the Dragons.
November 28, 1994
League schedule is released with Dragons at
Admirals and Monarchs at Galaxy on April 8 and Fire at Claymores on April 9.
1995
January 17, 1995 Forty-two
European players from eight countries across Europe are selected by World League teams. February 20, 1995
37
players are allocated from NFL teams. Shaumbe Wright-Fair, running back out of Washington State, is the first player chosen
in the 1995 draft. He was selected by the Rhein Fire. NFL teams allocate 37 players to World League teams. The New Orleans
Saints send an NFL-high seven players to the World League. March 1, 1995 World League of American Football
opens training camp in Atlanta, Georgia.
April
8, 1995
1995
World League season kicks off with Frankfurt Galaxy beating the London Monarchs 45-22 in front of 28,021 at the Waldstadion.
League newcomers Amsterdam Admirals beat Barcelona Dragons 17-13 in their debut game. April 9, 1995
The Scottish Claymores
play their first game in Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh. The visiting Rhein Fire win in the last minute by 19 points to 17. May 7, 1995 The World League creates history as London
Monarchs kicker Don Silvestri kicks football's first four-point field goal, awarded for successful attempts from 50 yards
or more.
April 30, 1995
The third World Bowl to be held in Amsterdam after their Admirals started
with a perfect 5-0 record
June 17, 1995
Paul Justin throws for 308 yards and 3 touchdowns as Frankfurt beats Amsterdam
to win the World Bowl 26-22 in front of 23,847 at Amsterdam's Olympic Stadium. The game is broadcast to 52 countries.
July 13, 1995
Oliver Luck is named as the leagues President being promoted from general manager of the Rhein
Fire
September 3-4, 1995
NFL season kicks off with 72 former WLAF players on rosters around the league
November, 1995 Manfred
Burgsmuller, one of the most famous names in German soccer history, is signed to kick for the Rhein Fire. December 14, 1995
Punter
Darren Bennett (now of the San Diego Chargers) becomes the first former WLAF player to be selected for the Pro Bowl on 4 February
1996 in Honolulu 1995 comeback
After revamping itself into an exclusively European circuit, the WLAF re-launched
in 1995 . The league consisted of the three existing European teams from the original format as well as three new teams in
Amsterdam, Düsseldorf and Edinburgh (who would compete as Scotland). Uniforms The 1995 WLAF relaunch
featured uniforms with a significantly different look to what is traditionally associated with American football. Instead
of the full-size numbers centred on the front of the jersey, the team logos took precedence, with a smaller number over the
right collarbone area. The Monarchs reverted to the traditional look in 1997 and the rest of the league followed a year
later. 1995 Results & Standings | Week
1 |
|---|
| Teams | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | Final | Date | Attendance |
|---|
Barcelona Dragons @ Amsterdam Admirals | 17
0 | 0
3 | 0
7 | 0
3 | | 17
13 | 04-08-95 | 7,186 | | London Monarchs @ Frankfurt Galaxy | 7
0 | 14
6 | 24
0 | 0
16 | | 45
22 | 04-08-95 | 28,021 | | Rhein Fire @ Scottish Claymores | 0
7 | 10
0 | 0
6 | 7
6 | | 17
19 | 04-09-95 | 10,346 | | Week 2 |
|---|
| Frankfurt Galaxy @ Amsterdam Admirals | 0
7 | 14
0 | 0
0 | 0
5 | | 14
12 | 04-15-95 | 5,32 | London Monarchs @ Rhein Fire | 7
3 | 0
10 | 0
7 | 0
3 | | 7
23 | 04-15-95 | 15,892 | | Scottish Claymores @ Barcelona Dragons | 0
0 | 7
0 | 0
7 | 3
0 | | 10
7 | 04-17-95 | 16,500 | | Week 3 |
|---|
| Rhein Fire @ Barcelona
Dragons | 3
3 | 15
6 | 7
7 | 7
14 | | 32
30 | 04-22-95 | 17,900 | | Scottish
Claymores @ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
7 | 0
0 | 7
0 | 7
13 | | 14
20
| 04-22-95 | 25,182 | Amsterdam Admirals @ London Monarchs | 7
7 | 3
3 | 0
7 | 0
0 | | 10
17 | 04-23-95 | 8,763 | | Week 4 |
|---|
| Barcelona Dragons @
London Monarchs | 0
3 | 7
9 | 3
14 | 14
13 | | 24
39
| 04-30-95 | 10,287 | | Frankfurt Galaxy @ Rhein Fire | 7
0 | 14
0 | 0
20 | 0
0 | | 21
20 | 04-30-95 | 19,181 | | Amsterdam Admirals @ Scottish Claymores | 0
7 | 0
6 | 0
15 | 0
3 | | 0
31 | 04-30-95 | 9,306 | | Week 5 |
|---|
| Rhein Fire @ Amsterdam
Admirals | 6
3 | 21
0 | 3
7 | 0
0 | | 30
10 | 05-06-95 | 8,153 | | Barcelona
Dragons @ Frankfurt Galaxy | 3
3 | 14
3 | 0
0 | 7
14 | | 24
20
| 05-06-95 | 30,698 | | London Monarchs @ Scottish Claymores | 0
4 | 0
0 | 7
0 | 3
7 | | 10
11 | 05-07-95 | 10,481 | | Week 6 |
|---|
| Amsterdam Admirals @
Barcelona Dragons | 6
0 | 9
20 | 11
0 | 8
14 | 0
6 | 34
40 | 05-13-95 | 18,369 | | Frankfurt Galaxy @ London Monarchs | 7
7 | 0
10 | 0
10 | 0
0 | | 7
27 | 05-14-95 | 8,912 | | Scottish Claymores @ Rhein Fire | 0
3 | 3
14 | 17
3 | 7
7 | 6
0 | 33
27 | 05-14-95 | 6,981 | | Week 7 |
|---|
| Scottish Claymores @ Amsterdam Admirals | 6
7 | 7
6 | 7
0 | 10
0 | | 30
13 | 05-20-95 | 10,423 | | London Monarchs @ Barcelona Dragons | 6
14 | 3
6 | 6
0 | 7
7 | | 22
27 | 05-20-95 | 18,850 | | Rhein Fire @ Frankfurt Galaxy | 14
7 | 0
13 | 7
14 | 7
7 | | 28
41 | 05-20-95 | 33,112 | | Week 8 |
|---|
| Barcelona Dragons @ Scottish Claymores | 0
3 | 7
3 | 3
0 | 3
10 | | 13
16 | 05-27-95 | 7,523 | | Amsterdam Admirals @ Frankfurt Galaxy | 7
0 | 7
3 | 7
7 | 7
3 | | 28
13 | 05-27-95 | 28,368 | | Rhein Fire @ London Monarchs | 0
0 | 3
7 | 24
0 | 7
7 | | 34
14
| 05-29-95 | 12,342 | | Week 9 |
|---|
| London Monarchs @ Amsterdam
Admirals | 7
0 | 0
0 | 7
0 | 3
7 | | 17
7 | 06-03-95 | 8,469 | | Barcelona
Dragons @ Rhein Fire | 10
7 | 11
17 | 0
0 | 0
7 | | 21
31 | 06-03-95 | 12,323 | | Frankfurt
Galaxy @ Scottish Claymores | 7
7 | 0
23 | 9
0 | 8
7 | | 24
37
| 06-04-95 | 6,840 | | Week 10 |
|---|
| Frankfurt Galaxy @
Barcelona Dragons | 0
3 | 13
13 | 0
7 | 7
21 | | 20
44 | 06-10-95 | 21,380 | | Scottish
Claymores @ London Monarchs | 0
0 | 3
7 | 6
10 | 0
5 | | 9
22
| 06-10-95 | 11,783 | | Amsterdam Admirals @ Rhein Fire | 0
7 | 6
0 | 6
7 | 13
23 | | 25
37 | 06-10-95 | 7,961 | | WORLD BOWL 1995 at Amsterdam |
|---|
FRANKFURT GALAXY
vs Amsterdam Admirals
| 0
0 | 6
7 | 14
0 | 6
15 | | 26
22 | 06-17-95 | 23,847 |
1996 February 19, 1996 NFL teams allocate 72 players to World League teams. February
20, 1996 Ty Parten, a defensive end out of the University
of Arizona, is the first player overall chosen in the 1996 draft by the Rhein Fire. February 22, 1996 Gavin Hastings, recently
retired captain of the Scottish Rugby Union, is signed to kick for the Scottish Claymores. February 26, 1996 London Monarchs announce
the signing of William 'The Refrigerator' Perry for the 1996 season. February
26, 1996 Three Japanese players -- Takuro Abe, Takahiro Ikenoue, and Shigemasa Ito
-- are selected to play in the World League following tryouts in Tokyo. The trio are the first Japanese players to play professional
football. 13 April 1996
The World League kicks off its fourth season
11 May 1996
Scotland thumps Frankfurt 20-0 to clinch the right to host the World Bowl
after winning the first half of the season June 16, 1996 Chelsea Football Club's Stamford Bridge ground becomes the third stadium to act
as home venue for the London Monarchs when it stages the season finale against the Rhein Fire. June 23, 1996 The Scottish Claymores beat
the Frankfurt Galaxy 32-27 in front of crowd of 38,982 at Murrayfield, Edinburgh, in World Bowl '96. The Claymores complete
their worst-to-first season before the biggest World League crowd in the United Kingdom since World Bowl '91. The game reaches
an estimated 200 million television viewers in 126 countries, including an audience watching live in the United States on
the Fox network. July 27, 1996 The World League's trio of Japanese players, Shigemasa Ito, Takahiro Ikenoue and Takuro Abe, create history
by becoming the first players from their country to participate in an NFL game when they play in the American Bowl in Tokyo
between the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego Chargers. September 1,
1996 A record number of World League players are on NFL
rosters as the 1996 season kicks off. In all, 116 World Leaguers appear on NFL rosters during the course of the season. September 4, 1996 Ray
Willsey, who won three World Bowl rings as defensive coordinator with three different clubs, is named as the league's New
York-based Director of Player Personnel. 1996 Results & Standings | Week 1 |
|---|
| Teams | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | Final | Date | Attendance |
|---|
FRANKFURT GALAXY
@ Rhein Fire | 10
0 | 0
0 | 7
7 | 10
14 | | 27
21 | 04-13-96 | 32,092 | SCOTTISH CLAYMORES
@ London
Monarchs | 7
7 | 0
14 | 7
0 | 7
0 | 3
0 | 24
21 | 04-14-96 | 16,258 | Amsterdam Admirals
@ BARCELONA DRAGONS | 14
7 | 7
7 | 0
7 | 6
6 | 0
7 | 27
34 | 04-14-96 | 17,300 | | Week 2 |
|---|
Rhein Fire
@ AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS | 0
3 | 0
0 | 0
7 | 7
7 | | 7
17 | 04-20-96 | 8,492 | London Monarchs
@ FRANKFURT
GALAXY | 0
7 | 3
14 | 0
13 | 0
3 | | 3
37 | 04-20-96 | 34,186 | Barcelona Dragons
@ SCOTTISH CLAYMORES | 0
3 | 0
10 | 7
10 | 6
0 | | 13
23 | 04-21-96 | 12,928 | | Week 3 |
|---|
LONDON MONARCHS
@ Rhein Fire | 10
0 | 3
3 | 0
0 | 14
17 | | 27
20 | 04-27-96 | 16,104 | Amsterdam Admirals
@ SCOTTISH
CLAYMORES | 7
7 | 0
7 | 7
0 | 0
7 | | 14
21 | 04-28-96 | 13,070 | FRANKFURT GALAXY
@ Barcelona Dragons | 7
6 | 3
3 | 7
0 | 16
20 | | 33
29 | 04-28-96 | 17,503 | | Week 4 |
|---|
Scottish Claymores
@ RHEIN FIRE | 7
6 | 0
3 | 0
3 | 7
3 | | 14
15 | 05-04-96 | 11,395 | Amsterdam Admirals
@ FRANKFURT
GALAXY | 0
14 | 14
20 | 14
0 | 0
6 | | 28
40 | 05-05-96 | 28,627 | BARCELONA DRAGONS
@ London Monarchs | 0
0 | 3
7 | 0
0 | 6
0 | | 9
7 | 05-06-96 | 13,627 | | Week 5 |
|---|
London Monarchs
@ AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS | 3
14 | 0
0 | 6
14 | 0
0 | | 9
28 | 05-11-96 | 8,327 | SCOTTISH CLAYMORES
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 3
0 | 0
0 | 3
0 | 14
0 | | 20
0 | 05-11-96 | 32,126 | Rhein Fire
@ BARCELONA DRAGONS | 0
6 | 7
12 | 0
0 | 12
3 | | 19
21 | 05-12-96 | 15,742 | | Week
6 |
|---|
Barcelona Dragons
@ AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS | 0
14 | 7
20 | 7
7 | 0
7 | | 14
48 | 05-18-96 | 8,712 | Frankfurt
Galaxy
@ LONDON MONARCHS | 0
14 | 0
6 | 0
0 | 7
7 | | 7
27 | 05-19-96 | 10,764 | Rhein Fire
@ SCOTTISH CLAYMORES | 3
13 | 3
11 | 7
0 | 6
0 | | 19
24 | 05-19-96 | 12,419 | | Week
7 |
|---|
Barcelona Dragons
@ RHEIN FIRE | 0
6 | 3
7 | 9
0 | 0
3 | | 12
16 | 05-25-96 | 13,173 | Frankfurt
Galaxy
@ SCOTTISH CLAYMORES | 7
0 | 0
3 | 3
14 | 7
3 | | 17
20 | 05-26-96 | 13,116 | Amsterdam Admirals
@ LONDON MONARCHS | 0
0 | 0
3 | 6
6 | 7
7 | | 13
16 | 05-27-96 | 11,048 | | Week
8 |
|---|
Scottish Claymores
@ AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS | 0
0 | 0
10 | 21
7 | 6
14 | | 27
31 | 06-01-96 | 10,501 | RHEIN
FIRE
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 21
0 | 7
0 | 0
0 | 3
8 | | 31
8 | 06-01-96 | 38,796 | London Monarchs
@ BARCELONA DRAGONS | 6
0 | 0
7 | 0
0 | 0
0 | | 6
7 | 06-02-96 | 9,875 | | Week
9 |
|---|
Barcelona Dragons
@ FRANKFURT GALAXY | 14
0 | 0
7 | 0
7 | 7
10 | | 21
24 | 06-08-96 | 33,115 | AMSTERDAM
ADMIRALS
@ Rhein Fire | 0
7 | 10
0 | 0
7 | 14
0 | | 24
14 | 06-09-96 | 20,103 | London Monarchs
@ SCOTTISH CLAYMORES | 7
4 | 0
13 | 7
0 | 14
16 | | 28
33 | 06-09-96 | 15,461 | | Week
10 |
|---|
FRANKFURT GALAXY
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 13
7 | 8
7 | 7
0 | 0
6 | | 28
20 | 06-15-96 | 14,062 | Rhein
Fire
@ LONDON MONARCHS | 0
7 | 0
7 | 0
0 | 14
3 | | 14
17 | 06-16-96 | 11,125 | Scottish Claymores
@ BARCELONA DRAGONS | 0
7 | 7
7 | 6
9 | 14
9 | | 27
32 | 06-16-96 | 16,124 | | WORLD BOWL 1996 at Edingburgh, Scotland |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ SCOTTISH CLAYMORES | 7
7 | 7
12 | 6
9 | 7
4 | | 27
32 | 06-23-96 | 38,982 |
http://www.hworth.net/nflel/scores1996.html
1997 January 26, 1997 New England Patriots kicker Adam Vinatieri, formerly of the Amsterdam Admirals, becomes
the first World League player to score in the Super Bowl. February 18, 1997 WL
announces that a record 112 current NFL roster players from 28 teams have been allocated for the 1997 season. 12 April 1997
World League '97 kicks off
11
May 1997
In an exciting Week 5 where four of the six teams could have hosted the World Bowl, Barcelona beat Amsterdam
28-21 to win the rights to host the championship game. It's their second post-season appearance
22
June 1997
Barcelona Dragons defeat Rhein Fire by 38 points to 23 in Barcelona. Barcelona came close to having
a losing record at the end of the season losing 4 of their last 5 before the World Bowl. Jon Kitna passes for a World Bowl
record 401 yards in front of 31,000 fans in the Estadi Olimpic. October 7, 1997 London
Monarchs announce they are to play two home games outside London in 1998 and will be renamed the England Monarchs. Team will
play three home games at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, plus games in Bristol and Birmingham.
October
19, 1997
World League President Oliver Luck announces that for the first time the World Bowl will be played at
a fixed site rather than the home of the leading site. Frankfurt's Waldstadion is chosen to host World Bowl '98 on 14th June
1998. By
the end of the 1997 season, there were growing concerns that their markets, except Germany, were not living up to their potential.
Radical changes were made to the two British teams. The London Monarchs would become the England Monarchs, and play their
home games in London, Birmingham and Bristol. Also, the Scottish Claymores would divide their schedule between Edinburgh and
Glasgow. Then, at a press conference in San Diego during Super Bowl XXXII weekend, the league announced it too would be changing:
the league would be rebranded as NFL Europe. 1997
Results & Standings | Week 1 |
|---|
| Teams | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | Final | Date | Attendance | Time
/ Day |
|---|
BARCELONA DRAGONS
@ Rhein Fire | 7
3 | 14
3 | 6
3 | 0
3 | | 27
12 | 04-12-97 | 17,112 | 7:00 P.M. / Saturday | SCOTTISH CLAYMORES
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 0
0 | 6
0 | 0
0 | 10
3 | | 16
3 | 04-12-97 | 16,185 | 7:00 P.M. / Saturday | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ LONDON MONARCHS | 7
0 | 0
6 | 0
6 | 0
2 | | 7
14 | 04-13-97 | 10,719 | 3:00 P.M. / Sunday | | Week 2 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
@ FRANKFURT GALAXY
| 0
10 | 3
3 | 7
3 | 0
3 | | 10
19 | 04-19-97 | 31,729 | 7:00 P.M. / Saturday | BARCELONA DRAGONS
@ Scottish Claymores
| 3
0 | 7
0 | 0
0 | 10
7 | | 20
7 | 04-20-97 | 14,877 | 3:00 P.M. / Sunday | London Monarchs
@ RHEIN FIRE | 0
0 | 0
0 | 0
14 | 6
14 | | 6
28 | 04-20-97 | 14,876 | 3:00 P.M. / Sunday | | Week 3 |
|---|
FRANKFURT
GALAXY
@ Barcelona Dragons | 0
7 | 3
0 | 3
0 | 11
3 | | 17
10 | 04-26-97 | 18,800 | 7:30 P.M. / Saturday | London Monarchs
@ AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS | 0
7 | 6
13 | 0
0 | 0
14 | | 6
34 | 04-26-97 | 13,767 | 7:00 P.M. / Saturday | RHEIN FIRE
@ Scottish
Claymores | 13
0 | 0
0 | 7
3 | 3
7 | | 23
10 | 04-27-97 | 11,166 | 3:00 P.M. / Sunday | | Week 4 |
|---|
Rhein
Fire
@ AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS | 0
10 | 6
0 | 7
0 | 7
13 | | 20
23 | 05-03-97 | 10,698 | 7:00 P.M. / Saturday | SCOTTISH CLAYMORES
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 3
0 | 0
3 | 0
0 | 6
0 | | 9
3 | 05-03-97 | 32,690 | 7:00 P.M. / Saturday | BARCELONA DRAGONS
@ London Monarchs | 0
17 | 7
13 | 15
2 | 15
0 | | 37
32 | 05-04-97 | 10,110 | 3:00 P.M. / Sunday | | Week 5 |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ RHEIN FIRE | 0
0 | 7
0 | 0
7 | 0
3 | | 7
10 | 05-10-97 | 32,140 | 7:00 P.M. / Saturday | Scottish
Claymores
@ LONDON MONARCHS | 0
3 | 0
10 | 0
3 | 8
0 | | 8
16 | 05-11-97 | 11,210 | 3:00 P.M. / Sunday | Amsterdam Admirals
@ BARCELONA DRAGONS | 0
14 | 0
7 | 14
0 | 7
7 | | 21
28 | 05-11-97 | 14,152 | 7:30 P.M. / Sunday | | Week 6 |
|---|
RHEIN FIRE
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
3 | 14
7 | 0
7 | 7
3 | | 21
20 | 05-17-97 | 39,182 | 7:00 P.M. / Saturday | LONDON
MONARCHS
@ Barcelona Dragons | 0
0 | 6
7 | 0
0 | 3
0 | | 9
7 | 05-17-97 | 13,514 | 7:30 P.M. / Saturday | Amsterdam Admirals
@ SCOTTISH CLAYMORES | 0
3 | 3
0 | 0
0 | 3
7 | | 6
10 | 05-18-97 | 9,021 | 3:00 P.M. / Sunday | | Week 7 |
|---|
Barcelona Dragons
@ AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS | 7
0 | 0
17 | 14
0 | 0
9 | | 21
26 | 05-24-97 | 13,289 | 7:00 P.M. / Saturday | London Monarchs
@ FRANKFURT GALAXY | 0
6 | 7
11 | 0
0 | 0
14 | | 7
31 | 05-24-97 | 30,723 | 7:00 P.M. / Saturday | SCOTTISH CLAYMORES
@ Rhein Fire | 7
3 | 0
10 | 0
7 | 16
0 | | 23
20 | 05-25-97 | 20,498 | 3:00 P.M. / Sunday | | Week 8 |
|---|
RHEIN FIRE
@ Barcelona Dragons | 7
0 | 14
9 | 7
7 | 10
7 | | 38
23 | 05-31-97 | 13,670 | 7:30 P.M. / Saturday | AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS
@ London Monarchs | 7
0 | 0
0 | 0
3 | 6
6 | | 13
9 | 06-01-97 | 9,150 | 3:00 P.M. / Sunday | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ SCOTTISH CLAYMORES | 0
0 | 0
3 | 0
14 | 7
7 | | 7
24 | 06-01-97 | 11,618 | 3:00 P.M. / Sunday | | Week 9 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
@ RHEIN FIRE | 0
7 | 0
10 | 0
0 | 0
7 | | 0
24 | 06-07-97 | 23,697 | 7:00 P.M. / Saturday | Barcelona Dragons
@ FRANKFURT GALAXY
| 10
0 | 0
21 | 0
2 | 7
6 | | 17
29 | 06-07-97 | 40,743 | 3:00 P.M. / Saturday | LONDON MONARCHS
@ Scottish Claymores
| 7
0 | 3
6 | 0
3 | 0
0 | | 10
9 | 06-08-97 | 16,115 | 3:00 P.M. / Sunday | | Week 10 |
|---|
Frankfurt
Galaxy
@ AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS | 0
0 | 7
7 | 0
13 | 0
0 | | 7
20 | 06-14-97 | 19,486 | 7:00 P.M. / Saturday | Scottish Claymores
@ BARCELONA DRAGONS | 3
7 | 7
24 | 8
7 | 0
8 | | 18
46 | 06-14-97 | 15,034 | 7:30 P.M. / Saturday | RHEIN FIRE
@ London
Monarchs | 0
0 | 3
7 | 7
0 | 0
0 | | 10
7 | 06-15-97 | 10,462 | 3:00 P.M. / Sunday | | WORLD BOWL 1997 at Estadi Olimpic de Montjuic - Barcelona |
|---|
Rhein Fire
@ BARCELONA DRAGONS
| 3
14 | 14
14 | 0
7 | 7
3 | | 24
38 | 06-22-97 | 31,100 | 1PM ET / Sunday |
http://www.hworth.net/nflel/scores1997.html Note: The team that leads the standings after week 5 earns a bid and
the right to host the World Bowl. The team which has the best overall record at the end of the season also qualifies for the
World Bowl. If the host team also leads the standings after the second half of the season, the club with the second-best overall
record qualifies for the World Bowl. World Bowl '97June 22, 1997 at Estadi Olimpic de Montjuic, Barcelona (Att: 31,100) | Rhein
(7-3) | 3 | 14 | 0 | 7 — | 24 | | Barcelona (5-5) | 14 | 14 | 7 | 3 — | 38 |
MVP: Jon Kitna, Barcelona, QB (23 for 31, 401 yards and 2 TDs.) Passing Efficiency| | Att | Cmp | Cmp Pct | Yds | Avg Gain | TD | TD Pct | Long | Int | Int
Pct | Rating |
|---|
| Jon Kitna,
Bar | 317 | 171 | 53.9 | 2448 | 7.72 | 22 | 6.9 | 96-td | 15 | 4.7 | 82.6 | | Dave Barr, Scot | 164 | 98 | 59.8 | 1118 | 6.82 | 3 | 1.8 | 50-td | 4 | 2.4 | 76.2 | | T.J. Rubley, Rhe | 218 | 117 | 53.7 | 1473 | 6.76 | 12 | 5.5 | 73-td | 9 | 4.1 | 76.1 | | Chad May,
Fran | 184 | 86 | 46.7 | 1016 | 5.52 | 4 | 2.2 | 47-td | 3 | 1.6 | 64.5 | | Spence Fischer, Scot | 148 | 78 | 52.7 | 839 | 5.67 | 1 | 0.7 | 46-td | 6 | 4.1 | 55.0 |
Scoring| Touchdowns | TD | Rus | Rec | Ret | Pts |
|---|
| Sheddrick Wilson, Bar | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 54 | | Derrick Clark, Rhe | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 54 | | Tyree
Davis, Bar | 7 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 42 | | Bobby Phillips,
Fran | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 36 | | Bill Schroeder, Rhe | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 36 |
| Kicking | PAT | FG/FGA | Lg | Pts |
|---|
| Ralf Kleinmann, Fran | 12/13 | 13/21 | 47 | 51 | | Manfred Burgsmuller,
Rhe | 23/25 | 7/9 | 28 | 44 | | Jess Angoy, Bar | 26/28 | 5/9 | 35 | 41 | | Oliver Quass, Ams | 0/0 | 9/13 | 35 | 27 | | Kari Gronroos,
Scot | 2/2 | 8/10 | 35 | 26 |
| Receptions | No | Yds | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|
| Yo Murphy, Sco | 47 | 559 | 11.9 | 50-td | 2 | | Tyree Davis, Bar | 43 | 738 | 17.2 | 55 | 6 | | Bill
Schroeder, Rhe | 43 | 702 | 16.3 | 73-td | 6 | | Sheddrick Wilson,
Bar | 41 | 633 | 15.4 | 53 | 9 | | Bryce Burnett,
Bar | 35 | 357 | 10.2 | 36 | 2 |
| Rushing | Car | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|
| Siran Stacy, Sco | 199 | 785 | 3.9 | 31 | 4 | | Bobby Phillips, Fran | 144 | 760 | 5.3 | 65-td | 6 | | Ontiwaun Carter, Rhe | 120 | 587 | 4.9 | 50 | 2 | | Derrick Clark, Rhe | 107 | 510 | 4.8 | 27 | 9 | | Terry Wilburn, Bar | 107 | 429 | 4.0 | 24 | 1 |
Other Individual Leaders| Yards from Scrimmage | 864 | Siran Stacy, Sco |
|---|
| Punting
Average | 45.1 | Wayne Lammle, Sco | | Interceptions | 6 | Carlos Brooks, Bar | | Sacks | 9 | Malcolm Showell, Lon
& Herman Smith, Lon. | | Punt Return Avg. | 12.4 | Vernon Turner, Fran | | Kickoff Return Avg. | 26.3 | Eric Smith, Sco |
Annual Awards| Offensive MVP | T.J. Rubley, Rhein, QB | | Defensive MVP | Jason Simmons, Scotland,. DE | | Coach
of the Year | Galen Hall, Rhein |
All-World League TeamThe All-World League
Team as selected by members of the World League media. | Pos | Player | Pos | Player |
|---|
| QB | T.J. Rubley, Rhein | DE | Malcolm Showell, London | | RB | Bobby Phillips, Frankfurt | DT | La'Roi
Glover, Barcelona | | RB | Siran Stacy, Scotland | DT | Troy Ridgley, Amsterdam | | WR | Bill Schroeder, Rhein | DE | Jason
Simmons, Scotland | | WR | Sheddrick Wilson, Barcelona | LB | Hillary Butler, Frankfurt | | TE | Bryce Burnett, Barcelona | LB | Richard
Newbill, London | | TE | Ethan Brooks, Rhein | LB | Shawn Banks, Frankfurt | | G | Mike Sheldon, Rhein | CB | Jack
Kellogg, Frankfurt | | C | Bob Kronenberg, Rhein | S | Johnny Dixon, Frankfurt | | G | Tom Robsock, Barcelona | S | George
Coghill, Scotland | | T | Spence Folau, Rhein | CB | Cecil Doggette, Frankfurt |
1998 22 January 1998
Oliver Luck announces at a pre Superbowl press conference that the World League
will be called NFL Europe from the 1998 season. London Monarchs renamed England Monarchs. April 4, 1998 New NFL Europe season kicks off with the 200th game in league
history - Rhein vs Amsterdam. June
13, 1998 NFLEL announces
that Berlin, Germany's capital city, has been awarded a team to begin play in 1999.
June 14, 1998
Jim Arellanes passes for 263 yards and 3 touchdowns to earn MVP honors
as Rhein beats Frankfurt 34-10 in the Waldstadion to win its first World Bowl. The crowd of 47,846 is the NFLEL's biggest
since returning in 1995 in the pouring rain.
June 24, 1998 The NFLEL suspends operations of the England Monarchs and announces that the league will remain
with six teams in 1999. July 1, 1998 Bill
Peterson becomes NFL Europe's Managing Director for the UK, Spain and Netherlands after three years as general of the Amsterdam
Admirals. July
9, 1998 Will
Wilson is appointed General Manager of the Scottish Claymores. He succeeds Richard Regan. November 5, 1998 Berlin selects defensive end Vladi Ilic as the first pick in the NFLEL's inaugural
German national player draft. November
16, 1998 League President
Oliver Luck unveils the new team as the Berlin Thunder. They will be coached by Frankfurt Offensive Coordinator Wes Chandler
with former DSF anchor Michael Lang as General Manager. December 17, 1998 NFLEL announces that 1999 training camp will be held in Orlando, Florida. 1998 NFL EUROPE SCHEDULE (home teams listed first) | Week | Day | Date | Location | Time
(*Local) | 1
| Saturday | April 4 | Rhein vs Amsterdam | 7 p.m. | | Sunday | April 5 | Barcelona vs Scotland | 7 p.m. |
| Sunday | April 5 | England vs Frankfurt | 3 p.m. | 2 | Saturday | April 11 | England vs Rhein, at Bristol | 7 p.m. |
| Saturday | April 11
| Frankfurt vs Barcelona | 7
p.m. | | Sunday | April 12 | Amsterdam
vs Scotland | 7 p.m. | 3 | Saturday | April
18 | Frankfurt vs England | 7
p.m. | | Saturday | April 18 | Barcelona vs Amsterdam | 5 p.m. | | Sunday | April 19 | Scotland vs Rhein | 3 p.m. | 4 | Saturday | April 25 | Rhein vs Barcelona | 7 p.m. | | Saturday | April 25 | Amsterdam vs Frankfurt | 7 p.m. | | Sunday | April 26 | England vs Scotland, at Birmingham | 3 p.m. | 5 | Saturday | May 2 | Amsterdam vs England | 7 p.m. |
| Saturday | May 2 | Frankfurt vs Rhein | 7 p.m. | | Sunday | May 3 | Scotland vs Barcelona | 3 p.m. | 6 | Saturday | May 9 | Rhein vs Scotland | 7 p.m. | | Sunday | May 10 | England vs Amsterdam | 5 p.m. | | Sunday | May 10 | Barcelona vs Frankfurt | 7/7:30 p.m. | 7 | Saturday | May 16 | Frankfurt vs Amsterdam | 7 p.m. |
| Saturday | May 16 | Barcelona vs Rhein | 7 p.m. | | Sunday | May 17 | Scotland vs England | 3 p.m. | 8 | Saturday | May 23 | Amsterdam vs Barcelona | 7 p.m. | | Saturday | May 23 | Rhein vs England | 7 p.m. | | Sunday | May 24 | Scotland vs Frankfurt, at Glasgow at the National Stadium, Hampden Park | 3 p.m. | 9 | Saturday | May 30 | Amsterdam
vs Rhein | 7 p.m. | | Sunday | May
31 | England vs Barcelona | 3
p.m. | | Sunday | May 31 | Frankfurt
vs Scotland | 7 p.m. | 10 | Saturday | June
6 | Rhein vs Frankfurt | 7
p.m. | | Sunday | June 7 | Scotland
vs. Amsterdam | 3 p.m. | | Sunday | June 7 | Barcelona vs England | 7 p.m. | World Bowl '98 | Sunday | June 14 | at Waldstadion, Frankfurt, Germany | 7 p.m. |
*All times local to where game is being played. 1998 Results & Standings | Week 1 |
|---|
| Teams | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | Final | Date | Attendance | Time
/ Day |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
@ Rhein Fire | 3
0 | 10
7 | 0
6 | 0
3 | | 13
16 | 04-04-98 | 22,102 | 1:00 PM / Saturday | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ England Monarchs | 12
0 | 3
0 | 14
7 | 7
6 | | 36
13 | 04-05-98 | 6,500 | 10:00 AM / Sunday | Scottish Claymores
@ Barcelona Dragons | 9
0 | 6
7 | 0
6 | 3
6 | | 18
19 | 04-05-98 | 10,500 | 2:00 PM / Sunday | | Week 2 |
|---|
Barcelona Dragons
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
7 | 6
0 | 0
0 | 9
0 | | 15
7 | 04-11-98 | 28,215 | 1:00 PM / Saturday | Rhein Fire
@ England Monarchs | 10
0 | 14
7 | 7
0 | 0
0 | | 31
7 | 04-11-98 | 5,523 | 2:00 PM / Saturday
at Bristol | Scottish Claymores
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 0
0 | 3
14 | 0
6 | 0
6 | | 3
26 | 04-12-98 | 22,614 | 1:00 PM / Sunday | | Week 3 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
@ Barcelona Dragons | 7
7 | 21
0 | 0
14 | 13
7 | | 41
28 | 04-18-98 | 11,800 | 12:00 PM / Saturday | England Monarchs
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 7
7 | 0
7 | 7
3 | 3
0 | 0
6 | 17
23 | 04-18-98 | 29,312 | 1:00 PM / Saturday | Rhein Fire
@ Scottish Claymores | 0
0 | 17
7 | 0
0 | 3
3 | | 20
10 | 04-19-98 | 8,249 | 10:00 AM / Sunday | | Week
4 |
|---|
Barcelona Dragons
@ Rhein Fire | 3
3 | 0
7 | 6
0 | 0
3 | | 9
13 | 04-25-98 | 22,249 | 1:00 PM / Saturday | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 0
7 | 0
0 | 7
0 | 7
3 | | 14
10 | 04-25-98 | 16,085 | 1:00 PM / Saturday | Scottish Claymores
@ England Monarchs | 7
7 | 0
0 | 3
0 | 0
7 | | 10
14 | 04-26-98 | 6,246 | 10:00 AM / Sunday
at Birmingham | | Week 5 |
|---|
Rhein Fire
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 3
0 | 7
0 | 14
0 | 7
14 | | 31
14 | 05-02-98 | 41,123 | 1:00 PM / Saturday | England Monarchs
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 3
0 | 14
10 | 0
0 | 7
15 | | 24
25 | 05-02-98 | 10,112 | 1:00 PM / Saturday | Barcelona Dragons
@ Scottish Claymores | 0
3 | 3
7 | 0
17 | 7
3 | | 10
30 | 05-03-98 | 9,629 | 10:00
AM / Sunday | | Week 6 |
|---|
Scottish Claymores
@ Rhein Fire | 3
0 | 0
10 | 7
0 | 0
7 | | 10
17 | 05-09-98 | 20,480 | 1:00 PM / Saturday | Amsterdam Admirals
@ England Monarchs | 2
7 | 3
0 | 3
0 | 8
0 | | 16
7 | 05-10-98 | 6,235 | 12:00 PM / Sunday | Frankfurt Galaxy
@
Barcelona Dragons | 0
7 | 2
0 | 0
21 | 0
3 | | 2
31 | 05-10-98 | 6,800 | 2:00 PM / Sunday | | Week 7 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
7 | 0
9 | 0
3 | 7
6 | | 7
25 | 05-16-98 | 37,095 | 1:00 PM / Saturday | Rhein Fire
@ Barcelona Dragons | 0
7 | 3
14 | 7
0 | 14
10 | | 24
31 | 05-16-98 | 7,900 | 2:00 PM / Saturday | England
Monarchs
@ Scottish Claymores | 14
7 | 7
7 | 0
7 | 3
6 | | 24
27 | 05-17-98 | 9,213 | 10:00 AM / Sunday | | Week 8 |
|---|
Barcelona Dragons
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 10
0 | 7
10 | 0
0 | 0
10 | | 17
20 | 05-23-98 | 12,864 | 1:00 PM / Saturday | England Monarchs
@ Rhein Fire | 0
3 | 0
3 | 7
3 | 0
3 | | 7
12 | 05-23-98 | 21,288 | 1:00 PM / Saturday | Frankfurt
Galaxy
@ Scottish Claymores | 7
3 | 0
9 | 0
0 | 8
0 | | 15
12 | 05-24-98 | 8,025 | 10:00 AM / Sunday | | Week 9 |
|---|
Rhein Fire
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 0
0 | 0
7 | 7
7 | 10
7 | | 17
21 | 05-30-98 | 17,588 | 1:00 PM / Saturday | Barcelona
Dragons
@ England Monarchs | 3
14 | 2
0 | 0
0 | 0
3 | | 5
17 | 05-31-98 | 5,215 | 10:00 AM / Sunday | Scottish Claymores
@
Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
7 | 7
0 | 3
0 | 0
14 | | 10
21 | 05-31-98 | 35,264 | 1:00 PM / Sunday | | Week 10 |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Rhein Fire | 0
0 | 0
7 | 7
7 | 10
3 | 3
0 | 20
17 | 06-06-98 | 41,212 | 1:00 PM / Saturday | Amsterdam
Admirals
@ Scottish Claymores | 7
7 | 0
3 | 6
0 | 13
13 | | 26
23 | 06-07-98 | 8,762 | 10:00 AM / Sunday
at Firhill, Glasgow | England
Monarchs
@ Barcelona Dragons | 14
0 | 0
17 | 7
3 | 7
0 | | 28
20 | 06-07-98 | 10,834 | 2:00 PM / Sunday | | World Bowl 1998 at Waldstadion; Frankfurt, Germany |
|---|
Rhein Fire
vs Frankfurt Galaxy | 10
0 | 7
7 | 7
3 | 10
0 | | 34
10 | 06-14-98 | 47,846 | 1:00 PM / Sunday |
http://www.hworth.net/nflel/scores1998.html World Bowl '98June
14, 1998 at Waldstadion in Frankfurt (Att: 47,846) | Rhein (7-3) | 10 | 7 | 7 | 10
— | 34 | | Frankfurt
(7-3) | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 — | 10 |
MVP: Jim Arellanes, Rhein, QB (12 for 18, 263 yards and 3 TDs.) Regular Season Individual LeadersPassing
Efficiency(Min. 140 pass attempts) | | Att | Cmp | Cmp
Pct | Yds | Avg
Gain | TD | TD Pct | Long | Int | Int
Pct | Rating |
|---|
| Mike
Quinn, Rhe | 264 | 133 | 50.4 | 1997 | 7.56 | 13 | 4.9 | 68 | 3 | 1.1 | 87.3 | | Kurt Warner, Ams | 326 | 165 | 50.6 | 2101 | 6.44 | 15 | 4.6 | 47-td | 6 | 1.8 | 78.8 | | Damon Huard, Fran | 290 | 159 | 54.8 | 1857 | 6.40 | 12 | 4.1 | 72 | 7 | 2.4 | 78.2 | | Josh LaRocca,
Eng | 257 | 122 | 47.5 | 1641 | 6.39 | 14 | 5.4 | 74-td | 11 | 4.2 | 68.6 | | Jim Ballard, Sco | 212 | 113 | 53.3 | 1425 | 6.72 | 4 | 1.8 | 44 | 8 | 3.7 | 65.1 | | Jim Ritchey, Bar | 272 | 129 | 47.4 | 1341 | 4.93 | 6 | 2.2 | 91-td | 10 | 3.6 | 54.2 |
Scoring| Touchdowns | TD | Rus | Rec | Ret | Pts |
|---|
| Reggie Jones, Eng | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 42 | | Reggie Brooks, Bar | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 36 | | Malcolm Thomas, Ams | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 36 | | Derrick Clark, Rhe | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 36 | | Mario Bailey, Fran | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 36 |
| Kicking | PAT | FG/FGA | Lg | Pts |
|---|
| M. Burgsmuller, Rhe | 21/21 | 12/13 | 36 | 57 | | Gary Parker,
Sco | 12/13 | 13/16 | 31 | 51 | | Silvio Diliberto, Ams | 16/18 | 11/15 | 44 | 49 | | Jess Angoy, Bar | 16/18 | 9/15 | 46 | 43 | | Ralf Kleinmann,
Fran | 17/20 | 8/16 | 46 | 41 |
Rushing| | Car | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|
| Derrick Clark, Rhe | 177 | 739 | 4.2 | 44 | 6 | | Malcolm Thomas, Ams | 150 | 664 | 4.4 | 33 | 5 | | Jermaine Chaney, Fran | 137 | 491 | 3.6 | 24 | 2 | | Carey Bender, Sco | 108 | 441 | 4.1 | 44 | 0 | | Ralph Dawkins, Ams | 104 | 435 | 4.2 | 23 | 2 |
Receptions| | No | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|
| Jason Shelley, Ams | 42 | 559 | 13.3 | 46 | 2 | | Marcus Robinson, Rhe | 39 | 811 | 20.8 | 68 | 5 | | Mario Bailey, Fran | 38 | 544 | 14.3 | 72 | 6 | | Joe Douglass, Ams | 38 | 499 | 13.1 | 47-td | 5 | | Reggie Jones, Eng | 36 | 649 | 18.0 | 74-td | 7 | | Darrick Branch, Fran | 36 | 468 | 13.0 | 63-td | 4 |
Punting| | No | Yards | Avg | Long | In20 |
|---|
| Brian Greenfield, Eng | 48 | 2170 | 45.2 | 64 | 13 | | Nate Cochran, Rhe | 50 | 2099 | 42.0 | 69 | 17 | | Jeff Beckley, Bar | 67 | 2745 | 41.0 | 61 | 23 | | Bill Kushner, Fran | 54 | 2184 | 40.4 | 59 | 12 | | David Wing, Sco | 53 | 1998 | 37.7 | 61 | 15 | | Will Brice, Ams | 40 | 1478 | 37.0 | 63 | 14 |
Sacks| | No |
|---|
| Ed Philion, Rhe | 9 | | Josh Taves, Bar | 9 | | Chick Osborne, Ams | 8 | | Uhuru Hamiter, Eng | 7 | | Mike
Croel, Rhe | 6 | | Ben Williams, Eng | 51/2 | | Brad Keeney, Sco | 51/2 |
Interceptions| | No | Yds | Long | TD |
|---|
| Richard Jones, Rhe | 4 | 114 | 30 | 0 | | Kenyan Branscomb, Fran | 4 | 7 | 5 | 0 | | Dexter Seigler, Ams | 3 | 99 | 52 | 0 | | George McCullough, Bar | 3 | 89 | 36 | 1 | | Chris Hall, Fran | 3 | 67 | 67-td | 1 | | Kory Blackwell, Sco | 3 | 65 | 32 | 1 | | Greg Evans, Fran | 3 | 52 | 23 | 0 | | Kerry Joseph, Rhe | 3 | 25 | 25 | 0 |
Annual Awards| Offensive MVP | Marcus
Robinson, Rhein, WR | | Defensive MVP | Josh Taves,
Barcelona, DE | | Coach of the Year | Dick Curl, Frankfurt |
All-NFL Europe League TeamThe All-NFL Europe League Team as selected by members of the NFL Europe media. | Pos | Offense | Pos | Defense |
|---|
| QB | Mike Quinn, Rhe | DE | Josh Taves,
Bar | | RB | Malcolm Thomas, Ams | DT | Chick Osborne, Ams | | RB | Derrick Clark, Rhe | DT | Ed Philion,
Rhe | | WR | Marcus Robinson, Rhe | DE | Uhuru Hamiter, Eng | | WR | Mario Bailey, Fran | LB | Hillary
Butler, Fran | | TE | Vince Marrow, Fran | LB | Juan Long, Bar | | G | Joe Andruzzi, Sco | LB | Rich Yurkiewicz, Ams | | G | Bob Kronenberg, Rhe | CB | Richard Jones, Rhe | | C | Ben
Lynch, Fran | CB | Dexter Siegler, Ams | | T | Derek West, Rhe | S | Chris Hall, Fran | | T | Mike Rockwood,
Sco | S | Kerry Joseph, Rhe |
| Pos | Special Teams |
|---|
| K | Manfred Burgsmuller,
Rhe | | P | Brian Greenfield, Eng | | Spec. | Joe Douglass, Ams |
http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0302561.html
1999 January 31, 1999 Denver Broncos win Super Bowl XXXIII in Miami, Florida, with seven NFLEL veterans on their roster. February 22, 1999 NFL teams allocate a record 152 players to play in Europe in the upcoming season.
Of the 31 NFL teams, 29 allocate players. April 17, 1999
1999 NFL Europe League season kicksoff
with a record 150 NFL players on the rosters of the six teams
May 22, 1999
Scottish Claymores quarterback Dameyune Craig sets an NFL record
for most passing yards in a game when he completes 27 of 37 passes for 611 yards and 5 touchdowns. The performance earns his
game jersey and football a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio
June 20, 1999 Barcelona Dragons running back Lawrence Phillips finishes season with league-record 1,021 rushing yards.
June
27, 1999
Frankfurt Galaxy becomes the first team to win a second championship after they beat the regular season
winner Barcelona Dragons 38-24 in World Bowl '99 in Dusseldorf, Germany. Andy McCullough takes MVP honors with three touchdown
catches. The Galaxy become the first franchise to win a second championship.
November 8, 1999 Bill Peterson, a nine-year veteran of American football in Europe and former GM of the Amsterdam Admirals,
is named as President of NFL Europe. He succeeds Oliver Luck, who is to return to the US after four years as president. November 14, 1999 Amsterdam Admirals announce they will change their shirt colors to orange, the traditional
color of Dutch national sports teams, from the start of the 2000 season.
1999 Results & Standings | Week 1 |
|---|
| Teams | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | Final | Date | Attendance | Time
/ Day / TV |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
@ Barcelona Dragons | 0
0 | 3
0 | 0
14 | 13
14 | | 16
28 | 04/17/99 | 14,624 | 8:00PM Local - 2:00PM ET / Saturday
on DIRECTV | Berlin Thunder
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 7
3 | 3
11 | 10
0 | 0
7 | | 20
21 | 04/17/99 | 30,127 | 7:00PM Local - 1:00PM ET / Saturday
on FOX Sports Net | Rhein Fire
@ Scottish Claymores | 7
0 | 0
0 | 7
7 | 6
14 | | 20
21 | 04/18/99 | 9,086 | 3:00PM Local - 10:00AM ET / Sunday
on DIRECTV
at Murrayfield | | Week 2 |
|---|
Scottish
Claymores
@ Berlin Thunder | 14
7 | 21
0 | 3
7 | 10
0 | | 48
14 | 04/24/99 | 9,817 | 7:00PM Local - 1:00PM ET / Saturday
on FSN | Frankfurt
Galaxy
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 3
0 | 0
3 | 10
7 | 0
7 | | 13
17 | 04/24/99 | 14,568 | 7:00PM Local - 1:00PM ET / Saturday
on DIRECTV | Barcelona Dragons
@ Rhein Fire | 13
0 | 6
7 | 0
3 | 0
0 | | 19
10 | 04/25/99 | 25,281 | 4:00PM Local - 10:00AM ET / Sunday
on DIRECTV | | Week 3 |
|---|
Berlin Thunder
@ Barcelona Dragons | 0
7 | 10
14 | 0
14 | 0
7 | | 10
42 | 05/01/99 | 13,652 | 8:00PM Local - 2:00PM ET / Saturday
on DIRECTV | Amsterdam
Admirals
@ Rhein Fire | 0
14 | 0
3 | 7
10 | 13
3 | | 20
30 | 05/01/99 | 23,883 | 7:00PM Local - 1:00PM ET / Saturday
on FSN | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Scottish Claymores | 7
0 | 7
14 | 7
3 | 14
18 | 7
0 | 42
35 | 05/02/99 | 10,169 | 3:00PM Local -
10:00AM ET / Sunday
on DIRECTV
at Murrayfield | | Week 4 |
|---|
Berlin Thunder
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 0
14 | 9
14 | 14
14 | 0
7 | | 23
49 | 05/08/99 | 10,210 | 7:00PM Local - 1:00PM ET / Saturday
on DIRECTV | Rhein Fire
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
0 | 0
3 | 0
10 | 7
0 | | 7
13 | 05/08/99 | 39,485 | 7:00PM Local - 1:00PM
ET / Saturday
on FSN | Barcelona Dragons
@ Scottish Claymores | 0
7 | 14
7 | 0
10 | 7
7 | | 21
31 | 05/09/99 | 8,864 | 3:00PM
Local - 10:00AM ET / Sunday
on DIRECTV
at Murrayfield | | Week 5 |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Barcelona Dragons | 7
0 | 5
0 | 3
7 | 0
8 | 0
6 | 15
21 | 05/15/99 | 14,865 | 8:00PM Local - 2:00PM ET / Saturday
on DIRECTV | Amsterdam Admirals
@ Berlin Thunder | 3
0 | 3
0 | 7
7 | 6
12 | 0
3 | 19
22 | 05/15/99 | 7,342 | 7:00PM Local - 1:00PM ET / Saturday
on DIRECTV | Scottish Claymores
@ Rhein Fire | 0
7 | 0
20 | 0
7 | 6
3 | | 6
37 | 05/15/99 | 22,171 | 7:00PM Local - 1:00PM ET / Saturday
on FSN | | Week
6 |
|---|
Rhein Fire
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 16
3 | 10
13 | 10
0 | 0
9 | | 36
25 | 05/22/99 | 14,056 | 7:00PM Local -
1:00PM ET / Saturday
on DIRECTV | Scottish Claymores
@ Frankfurt
Galaxy | 7
7 | 14
7 | 7
0 | 14
21 | | 42
35 | 05/22/99 | 33,915 | 7:00PM Local - 1:00PM ET / Saturday
on FSN | Barcelona Dragons
@ Berlin Thunder | 10
7 | 3
10 | 7
3 | 0
7 | | 20
27 | 05/23/99 | 8,667 | 7:00PM Local - 1:00PM ET / Sunday
on DIRECTV | | Week 7 |
|---|
Barcelona Dragons
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 0
7 | 7
3 | 7
7 | 14
0 | | 28
17 | 05/29/99 | 10,252 | 7:00PM Local - 1:00PM ET / Saturday
on FSN | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Rhein Fire | 7
7 | 3
0 | 0
10 | 11
3 | | 21
20 | 05/29/99 | 40,143 | 7:00PM Local - 1:00PM ET / Saturday
on DIRECTV | Berlin
Thunder
@ Scottish Claymores | 0
7 | 4
3 | 14
0 | 10
0 | | 28
10 | 05/30/99 | 9,128 | 3:00PM Local - 10:00AM ET / Sunday
on DIRECTV
at Hampden Park, Glasgow | | Week 8 |
|---|
Rhein Fire
@ Berlin Thunder | 3
0 | 10
0 | 16
0 | 0
0 | | 29
0 | 06/05/99 | 10,683 | 7:00PM
Local - 1:00PM ET / Saturday
on DIRECTV | Amsterdam Admirals
@ Frankfurt
Galaxy | 0
0 | 0
14 | 0
0 | 14
7 | | 14
21 | 06/05/99 | 35,981 | 7:00PM Local - 1:00PM ET / Saturday
on FSN | Scottish
Claymores
@ Barcelona Dragons | 7
3 | 21
7 | 7
10 | 0
22 | | 35
42 | 06/06/99 | 10,687 | 7:00PM Local - 1:00PM ET / Sunday
on FOX | | Week 9 |
|---|
Rhein Fire
@ Barcelona Dragons | 10
7 | 14
7 | 28
0 | 7
0 | | 59
14 | 06/12/99 | 10,155 | 7:00PM Local - 1:00PM ET / Saturday
on FSN | Amsterdam Admirals
@ Scottish Claymores | 0
7 | 12
3 | 3
3 | 14
7 | | 29
20 | 06/13/99 | 10,415 | 3:00PM Local - 10:00AM ET / Sunday
on FOX
at Hampden Park, Glasgow | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Berlin Thunder | 6
0 | 5
3 | 0
10 | 21
6 | | 32
19 | 06/13/99 | 10,783 | 3:00PM Local - 9:00AM ET / Sunday
on DIRECTV | | Week 10 |
|---|
Berlin Thunder
@ Rhein Fire | 3
14 | 7
21 | 0
3 | 0
0 | | 10
38 | 06/19/99 | 31,350 | 7:00PM Local - 1:00PM ET / Saturday
on DIRECTV | Scottish
Claymores
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 0
6 | 7
7 | 7
3 | 8
14 | | 22
30 | 06/19/99 | 12,358 | 7:00PM Local - 1:00PM ET / Saturday
on FSN | Barcelona Dragons
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 13
14 | 12
0 | 0
6 | 3
6 | | 28
26 | 06/20/99 | 42,127 | 7:00PM Local -
1:00PM ET / Sunday
on FOX | | World Bowl 1999 at Dusseldorf, Germany (Rhein) |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
vs Barcelona
Dragons | 3
10 | 14
0 | 7
7 | 14
7 | | 38
24 | 06/27/99 | 39,643 | 7:30 P.M. Local - 1:30PM ET / Sunday
on FOX |
2000 January
5, 2000 Ex-Amsterdam Admirals
Kurt Warner is named MVP of the NFL season after leading the St Louis Rams to a 13-3 record with 4,353 yards and 41 touchdown
passes. He is one of 180 NFL Europe League veterans to have appeared on NFL rosters during the season, including 11 quarterbacks
who started games. February 18, 2000 One day after 109 NFL players are assigned to NFLEL teams
for 2000, another 32 players are chosen in the league first NFL Allocated Player Draft. February 25, 2000 The NFL allocation program concludes with assignment of kickers and punters, bringing the
total number of allocated players to a record 153. April 15, 2000 NFL
Europe League's eighth season kicks off. June
18, 2000 Former University
of Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel finishes season with single-season record 25 touchdown passes for Rhein Fire. June 25, 2000 Pepe Pearson scores on a 1-yard run with 1:12 remaining as the Fire beat the Claymores
13-10 to win World Bowl 2000 in Frankfurt. League Offensive MVP Aaron Stecker is named MVP after rushing for 92 yards and
catching 4 passes for the Claymores. September
27, 2000 NFLEL announces
training camp is moving to the Tampa Bay area, Florida. November 1, 2000 John Beake, former
general manager of the Denver Broncos, is named NFLEL Managing Director of Football Operations and NFL Vice-President of Players
Development. He will handle the football responsibilities previously handled by Bill Peterson, who has returned to work in
the United States. November 9, 2000 NFLEL announces that 2001 season will kick off on April 21
and that NFL teams have agreed to allocate at least six players each for the new season. December 25, 2000 Final day of an NFL season which has seen a record 187 former NFLEL players on NFL rosters
and four ex-NFLEL players selected for the Pro Bowl. 2000 Results & Standings | WEEK 1 |
|---|
| Teams | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | Final | Attendance | Day
/ Date | Time |
|---|
Barcelona Dragons
at Rhein Fire | 0
7 | 14
0 | 0
14 | 3
7 | | 17
28 | 28,924 | Saturday
April 15, 2000 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM | Frankfurt Galaxy
at
Berlin Thunder | 17
0 | 3
7 | 6
0 | 6
0 | | 32
7 | 10,685 | Saturday
April 15, 2000 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM | Amsterdam Admirals
at Scottish Claymores | 6
0 | 3
14 | 0
7 | 0
7 | | 9
28 | 8,726
at Murrayfield | Sunday
April 16, 2000 | 10:00 AM EST
3:00 PM | | WEEK 2 |
|---|
Rhein Fire
at Amsterdam Admirals | 0
0 | 3
0 | 0
7 | 14
10 | 3
6 | 20
23 | 12,708 | Saturday
April 22, 2000 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM | Scottish Claymores
at Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
0 | 7
7 | 10
7 | 0
0 | | 17
14 | 32,459 | Saturday
April 22, 2000 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM | Berlin
Thunder
at Barcelona Dragons | 0
0 | 7
0 | 14
7 | 7
14 | | 28
21 | 7,500 | Monday
April 24, 2000 | 12:00 PM EST
5:00
PM | | WEEK 3 |
|---|
Scottish Claymores
at Berlin Thunder | 7
3 | 10
10 | 0
10 | 3
0 | | 20
23 | 7,913 | Saturday
April 29, 2000 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM | Frankfurt
Galaxy
at Rhein Fire | 7
9 | 7
7 | 13
8 | 0
10 | | 27
34 | 43,129 | Saturday
April 29, 2000 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00
PM | Barcelona Dragons
at Amsterdam Admirals | 10
3 | 14
3 | 3
0 | 0
14 | | 27
20 | 9,042 | Sunday
April 30, 2000 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM | | WEEK 4 |
|---|
Amsterdam
Admirals
at Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
14 | 7
0 | 3
0 | 10
3 | | 20
17 | 31,112 | Saturday
May 06, 2000 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00
PM | Rhein Fire
at Barcelona Dragons | 0
0 | 11
0 | 7
0 | 0
7 | | 18
7 | 21,200 | Saturday
May 06, 2000 | 2:00 PM EST
7:00 PM | Berlin Thunder
at
Scottish Claymores | 0
14 | 3
7 | 0
7 | 0
14 | | 3
42 | 8,912
at Murrayfield | Sunday
May 07, 2000 | 10:00 AM EST
3:00 PM | | WEEK 5 |
|---|
Scottish Claymores
at Rhein Fire | 7
0 | 0
8 | 3
7 | 0
7 | | 10
22 | 30,537 | Saturday
May 13, 2000 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM | Berlin Thunder
at
Amsterdam Admirals | 3
0 | 0
6 | 7
3 | 8
9 | 3
6 | 21
24 | 10,320 | Saturday
May 13, 2000 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00
PM | Barcelona Dragons
at Frankfurt Galaxy | 7
7 | 7
3 | 14
0 | 14
16 | | 42
26 | 32,888 | Saturday
May 13, 2000 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM | | WEEK 6 |
|---|
Amsterdam
Admirals
at Barcelona Dragons | 0
7 | 0
7 | 0
5 | 16
3 | | 16
22 | 8,100 | Saturday
May 20, 2000 | 2:00 PM EST
7:00
PM | Rhein Fire
at Berlin Thunder | 0
0 | 7
14 | 0
7 | 14
0 | 0
4 | 21
25 | 10,273 | Sunday
May 21, 2000 | 9:00 AM EST
3:00 PM | Frankfurt Galaxy
at
Scottish Claymores | 21
7 | 3
7 | 0
0 | 0
10 | 7
6 | 31
30 | 9,127
at
Murrayfield | Sunday
May 21, 2000 | 10:00
AM EST
3:00 PM | | WEEK 7 |
|---|
Berlin Thunder
at
Rhein Fire | 14
0 | 6
0 | 0
14 | 7
14 | | 27
28 | 33,437 | Saturday
May 27, 2000 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM | Barcelona Dragons
at Scottish Claymores | 0
0 | 0
14 | 0
7 | 0
7 | | 0
28 | 8,827
at Hampden Park | Sunday
May 28, 2000 | 10:00 AM EST
3:00 PM | Frankfurt Galaxy
at
Amsterdam Admirals | 0
14 | 0
17 | 0
3 | 7
7 | | 7
41 | 12,048 | Sunday
May 28, 2000 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM | | WEEK 8 |
|---|
Barcelona Dragons
at Berlin Thunder | 0
0 | 5
6 | 0
0 | 17
3 | | 22
9 | 7,932 | Saturday
June 03, 2000 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM | Scottish Claymores
at Amsterdam Admirals | 14
0 | 21
3 | 7
7 | 0
0 | | 42
10 | 10,867
at Olympic Stadium | Saturday
June 03, 2000 | 1:00
PM EST
7:00 PM | Rhein Fire
at Frankfurt Galaxy | 14
0 | 18
7 | 14
0 | 7
7 | | 53
14 | 41,351 | Sunday
June 04, 2000 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM | | WEEK 9 |
|---|
Rhein
Fire
at Scottish Claymores | 0
7 | 7
7 | 6
7 | 11
10 | | 24
31 | 10,196
at Hampden Park | Saturday
June 10, 2000 | 10:00
AM EST
3:00 PM | Amsterdam Admirals
at Berlin Thunder | 3
7 | 0
7 | 0
7 | 12
7 | | 15
28 | 8,014 | Saturday
June 10, 2000 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM | Frankfurt
Galaxy
at Barcelona Dragons | 7
2 | 0
0 | 0
0 | 7
6 | | 14
8 | 7,250 | Sunday
June 11, 2000 | 2:00 PM EST
7:00 PM | | WEEK 10 |
|---|
Berlin Thunder
at Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
7 | 3
17 | 7
0 | 7
0 | | 17
24 | 31,648 | Saturday
June 17, 2000 | 12:00 PM EST
6:00 PM | Scottish Claymores
at Barcelona Dragons | 7
7 | 0
7 | 10
0 | 8
14 | | 25
28 | 8,200 | Saturday
June 17, 2000 | 2:00 PM EST
7:00
PM | Amsterdam Admirals
at Rhein Fire | 0
0 | 0
14 | 0
14 | 28
3 | | 28
31 | 37,113 | Sunday
June 18, 2000 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM | | WORLD BOWL 2000 at Waldstadion, Frankfurt |
|---|
Rhein Fire
vs Scottish Claymores | 3
7 | 3
3 | 0
0 | 7
0 | | 13
10 | 35,860 | Sunday
June 25, 2000 | 1:30 PM EST
7:30 PM |
http://www.hworth.net/nflel/scores2000.html
2001 March
5, 2001 Training camp
opens in Tampa Bay with the league's first-ever mini-camp for national players. A record 229 NFL-allocated players report
to camp in 2001. April 21, 2001 NFL Europe League kicks off its ninth season. June 17, 2001 A crowd of 51,719, the biggest since the NFLEL relaunched in 1995, watches the Rhein Fire beat the Frankfurt
Galaxy in Düsseldorf's Rheinstadion. June
30, 2001 Jonathan Quinn
throws three touchdown passes, including a game-winning 53-yarder to Duane Jones in the fourth quarter, as the Berlin Thunder
beats the Barcelona Dragons 24-17 in World Bowl IX in front of 32,116 fans in the Amsterdam ArenA. 2001 Results & Standings All
times EST and local FSN - Fox Sports Net DTV [channel] - DirecTV FOX - main
FOX network channel | WEEK 1 |
|---|
| Teams | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | Final | Attendance | Day
/ Date | Time / Local / TV |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Scottish Claymores | 7
10 | 0
0 | 7
14 | 7
0 | | 21
24 | 16,347 | Saturday
April 21, 2001 | 10:00 AM EST
15:00
DTV [704] | Barcelona Dragons
@ Berlin
Thunder | 7
0 | 7
7 | 7
0 | 0
7 | | 21
14 | 8,213 | Saturday
April 21, 2001 | 12:00 PM EST
18:00
DTV [705] | Amsterdam
Admirals
@ Rhein Fire | 13
7 | 0
7 | 7
7 | 0
3 | | 20
24 | 31,437 | Saturday
April 21, 2001 | 1:00 PM EST
19:00
FSN | | WEEK 2 |
|---|
Rhein Fire
@ Barcelona Dragons | 3
0 | 3
3 | 0
14 | 6
7 | | 12
24 | 8,423 | Saturday
April 28, 2001 | 11:00 AM EST
17:00
DTV [704] | Berlin Thunder
@ Frankfurt
Galaxy | 0
14 | 14
0 | 7
3 | 7
3 | | 28
20 | 27,928 | Saturday
April 28, 2001 | 1:00 PM EST
19:00
FSN | Scottish
Claymores
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 0
0 | 0
0 | 7
7 | 3
7 | | 10
14 | 12,516 | Saturday
April 28, 2001 | 1:00 PM EST
19:00
DTV [705] | | WEEK 3 |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 0
7 | 7
7 | 0
0 | 7
14 | | 14
28 | 14,268 | Saturday
May 5, 2001 | 1:00 PM EST
19:00
DTV [704] | Barcelona
Dragons
@ Rhein Fire | 7
0 | 7
13 | 7
8 | 0
0 | 6
0 | 27
21 | 30,984 | Saturday
May 5, 2001 | 1:00 PM EST
19:00
FSN | Berlin Thunder
@ Scottish Claymores | 7
3 | 0
3 | 14
14 | 0
8 | | 21
28 | 10,419 | Sunday
May 6, 2001 | 10:00 AM EST
15:00
DTV [704] | | WEEK 4 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
@ Barcelona Dragons | 7
14 | 7
7 | 0
0 | 0
10 | | 14
31 | 9,222 | Saturday
May 12, 2001 | 11:00 AM EST
17:00
DTV [704] | Rhein Fire
@ Berlin Thunder | 0
0 | 3
6 | 7
7 | 7
10 | | 17
23 | 9,148 | Saturday
May 12, 2001 | 12:00 PM EST
18:00
DTV [705] | Scottish Claymores
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
6 | 3
14 | 7
0 | 7
7 | | 17
27 | 33,437 | Saturday
May 12, 2001 | 1:00 PM EST
19:00
FSN | | WEEK
5 |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Berlin Thunder | 0
13 | 14
7 | 3
14 | 8
0 | | 25
34 | 9,359 | Saturday
May 19, 2001 | 12:00
PM EST
18:00
DTV [704] | Barcelona Dragons
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 0
17 | 3
6 | 10
3 | 0
7 | | 13
33 | 11,873 | Saturday
May 19, 2001 | 1:00 PM EST
19:00
FSN | Scottish Claymores
@ Rhein Fire | 0
7 | 0
3 | 0
0 | 3
0 | | 3
10 | 30,211 | Sunday
May 20, 2001 | 1:00 PM EST
19:00
DTV [704] | | WEEK
6 |
|---|
Berlin Thunder
@ Barcelona Dragons | 14
14 | 7
17 | 0
10 | 14
14 | | 35
55 | 9,661 | Saturday
May 26, 2001 | 11:00
AM EST
17:00
FSN | Amsterdam Admirals
@ Scottish Claymores | 0
7 | 0
7 | 7
0 | 0
3 | | 7
17 | 15,983 | Sunday
May 27, 2001 | 10:00 AM EST
15:00
DTV [704] | Rhein Fire
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
5 | 16
0 | 3
0 | 3
0 | | 22
5 | 30,512 | Sunday
May 27, 2001 | 1:00 PM EST
19:00
FOX | | WEEK
7 |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Barcelona Dragons | 7
7 | 0
7 | 0
7 | 13
10 | | 20
31 | 9,851 | Saturday
June 2, 2001 | 11:00
AM EST
17:00
DTV [704] | Scottish Claymores
@ Berlin Thunder | 10
7 | 0
3 | 3
7 | 6
10 | | 19
27 | 8,917 | Saturday
June 2, 2001 | 12:00 PM EST
18:00
DTV [705] | Rhein Fire
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 0
0 | 3
7 | 11
0 | 0
7 | 0
3 | 14
17 | 13,823 | Saturday
June 2, 2001 | 1:00 PM EST
19:00
FSN | | WEEK
8 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
7 | 6
14 | 15
7 | 2
0 | | 23
28 | 29,587 | Saturday
June 09, 2001 | 1:00
PM EST
19:00
FSN | Barcelona Dragons
@ Scottish Claymores | 0
3 | 14
3 | 0
3 | 0
0 | | 14
9 | 14,483 | Sunday
June 10, 2001 | 10:00 AM EST
15:00
DTV [704] | Berlin Thunder
@ Rhein Fire | 0
3 | 0
3 | 7
0 | 6
7 | 0
3 | 13
16 | 30,701 | Sunday
June 10, 2001 | 1:00 PM EST
19:00
FOX | | WEEK
9 |
|---|
Scottish Claymores
@ Barcelona Dragons | 0
14 | 0
6 | 7
3 | 0
3 | | 7
26 | 10,180 | Saturday
June 16, 2001 | 11:00 AM EST
17:00
DTV [704] | Amsterdam Admirals
@ Berlin Thunder | 0
7 | 10
21 | 0
10 | 0
3 | | 10
41 | 10,478 | Saturday
June 16, 2001 | 12:00 PM EST
18:00
DTV [705] | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Rhein
Fire | 0
0 | 7
3 | 3
7 | 3
7 | | 13
17 | 51,719 | Saturday
June 16, 2001 | 1:00 PM EST
19:00
FSN | | WEEK 10 |
|---|
Rhein Fire
@ Scottish Claymores | 0
14 | 0
6 | 0
14 | 21
0 | | 21
34 | 12,251 | Saturday
June 23, 2001 | 10:00 AM EST
15:00
DTV [704] | Barcelona Dragons
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 3
0 | 0
6 | 0
10 | 7
10 | | 10
26 | 31,215 | Saturday
June 23, 2001 | 1:00 PM EST
19:00
FSN | Berlin
Thunder
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 10
0 | 7
7 | 10
14 | 7
7 | | 34
28 | 13,812 | Sunday
June 24, 2001 | 12:00 PM EST
18:00
FOX | | WORLD BOWL 2001 at Amsterdam ArenA |
|---|
Berlin Thunder
vs Barcelona Dragons | 4
3 | 6
6 | 0
8 | 14
0 | | 24
17 | 32,116 | Saturday
June 30, 2001 | 12:00 PM EST
18:00
FOX |
2001
NFL Europe League tie-breakers: This year's system includes a new second step that will guarantee a nail-biting
finish to the season and may mean that teams have to reach certain targets in yardage in the final games of the season: The
tie-breaker system is:
1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the tied
clubs)
2. Best combined offensive and defensive rankings, as listed in the official NFLEL statistics.
Note: Offensive rankings are based on total net yards gained (passing plus rushing). Defensive rankings
are based on fewest net yards allowed (passing plus rushing).
Example:
Team A is ranked 1 on offense and 3 on defense
(4 ranking points). Team B is ranked 3 on offense and 2 on defense (5 ranking points). Team A wins tie-breaker by virtue of
lower ranking points total.
3. Best points differential in all games
4. Best net
touchdowns
5. Coin toss
Teams could go into Week 10, not only needing to win their game but
to reach certain targets in terms of yards gained by the offense and yards allowed by the defense. http://www.hworth.net/nflel/scores2001.html Final 2001 Standings| | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA |
|---|
| *Barcelona | 8 | 2 | 0 | .800 | 252 | 191 | | *Berlin | 6 | 4 | 0 | .600 | 270 | 239 | | Rhein | 5 | 5 | 0 | .500 | 174 | 179 | | Scotland | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | 168 | 188 | | Amsterdam | 4 | 6 | 0 | .400 | 194 | 226 | | Frankfurt | 3 | 7 | 0 | .300 | 199 | 234 |
*World Bowl participants Note: The teams with the top two records after the regular season advance directly to the
World Bowl. World Bowl IXJune 30, 2001 at the Amsterdam ArenA, the Netherlands (Att: 32,116) | Berlin (6-4) | 4 | 6 | 0 | 14 — | 24 | | Barcelona
(8-2) | 3 | 6 | 8 | 0 — | 17 |
MVP: Jonathan Quinn, Berlin, QB (25-38 for 308 yards and 3 TDs) Regular Season Individual LeadersPassing Efficiency(Min. 140 pass attempts) | | Att | Cmp | Cmp
Pct | Yds | Yds/
Att | TD | TD Pct | Long | Int | Int Pct | Rating |
|---|
| Jonathan Quinn, Ber | 296 | 167 | 56.4 | 2257 | 7.63 | 24 | 8.1 | 82-td | 9 | 3.0 | 95.3 | | Jarious Jackson, Bar | 223 | 125 | 56.1 | 1544 | 6.92 | 13 | 5.8 | 74-td | 6 | 2.7 | 85.9 | | Michael Bishop, Fra | 153 | 76 | 49.7 | 1090 | 7.12 | 11 | 7.2 | 80-td | 7 | 4.6 | 78.1 | | Spergon Wynn, Ams | 337 | 193 | 57.3 | 2041 | 6.06 | 14 | 4.2 | 45-td | 9 | 2.7 | 77.8 | | Clint Stoerner, Sco | 307 | 171 | 55.7 | 1966 | 6.08 | 10 | 3.3 | 79-td | 8 | 2.6 | 73.8 |
Scoring| Touchdowns | TD | Rus | Rec | Ret | Pts |
|---|
| Chris Coleman, Ams | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 48 | | Mike
Green, Bar | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 48 | | Tony Simmons, Bar | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 42 | | Bryan Gilmore, Bar | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 36 | | Ahmad Merritt, Ber | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 36 |
| Kicking | PAT | FG/FGA | Lg | Pts |
|---|
| Jesus Angoy, Bar | 30/30 | 12/16 | 43 | 66 | | Rob
Hart, Sco | 16/16 | 16/19 | 39 | 64 | | Axel Kruse, Ber | 33/33 | 4/5 | 29 | 45 | | Silvio Diliberto, Ams | 22/23 | 5/5 | 31 | 37 | | Ola
Kimrin, Fra | 7/7 | 10/13 | 47 | 37 |
Rushing| | Car | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|
| Mike Green, Bar | 183 | 1057 | 5.8 | 55 | 8 | | Pepe
Pearson, Rhe | 166 | 597 | 3.6 | 19 | 3 | | Denvis Manns, Fra | 143 | 513 | 3.6 | 30 | 1 | | Anthony Gray, Sco | 111 | 445 | 4.0 | 53 | 2 | | Madre Hill, Ber | 69 | 388 | 5.6 | 60-td | 2 |
Receptions| | No | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|
| James Whalen, Sco | 66 | 691 | 10.5 | 47 | 3 | | Trevor Insley, Bar | 61 | 659 | 10.8 | 54 | 2 | | Chris Coleman, Ams | 51 | 710 | 13.9 | 45-td | 8 | | Andy McCullough, Fra | 41 | 460 | 11.2 | 38 | 3 | | Ahmad Merritt, Ber | 39 | 582 | 14.9 | 62 | 6 |
Punting| | No | Yards | Avg | Long | In20 |
|---|
| Brian Moorman, Ber | 38 | 1645 | 43.3 | 77 | 7 | | Brad Costello, Sco | 45 | 1887 | 41.9 | 64 | 16 | | Jason Malecki, Ams | 55 | 2239 | 40.7 | 59 | 18 | | Rodney Williams, Rhe | 50 | 2014 | 40.3 | 74 | 12 | | Bill LaFleur, Bar | 44 | 1702 | 38.7 | 54 | 17 |
Sacks| | No |
|---|
| Roshaun
Matthews, Ams | 9.5 | | Gary Stills, Fra | 9.5 | | Winfield Garnett, Ams | 8.0 | | Chris Ward, Sco | 7.5 | | Tim Englehardt, Bar | 6.5 |
Interceptions| | No | Yds | Long | TD |
|---|
| Deke Cooper, Rhe | 6 | 30 | 18 | 0 | | Clarence LeBlanc, Rhe | 4 | 153 | 73-td | 3 | | Anthony
Malbrough, Bar | 4 | 140 | 75-td | 2 | | Billy Gustin, Ber | 4 | 44 | 21 | 0 | | Samyr Hamoudi, Bar | 4 | 35 | 18 | 0 |
Annual Awards| Offensive MVP | Mike Green, Barcelona, RB | | Defensive MVP | Roshaun Matthews, Amsterdam,
DE | | Coach of the Year | Jack Bicknell, Barcelona |
All-NFL Europe League TeamThe All-NFL Europe League Team as selected by members of the NFL Europe media and by
fan vote. | | Offense | | Defense |
|---|
| QB | Jonathan
Quinn, Ber | DE | Roshaun Matthews, Ams | | WR | Trevor Insley, Bar | DT | Tim Englehardt, Bar | | WR | Chris Coleman, Ams | DT | Winfield Garnett, Ams | | WR | Tony Simmons,
Bar | DE | Chris
Ward, Sco | | RB | Mike Green, Bar | LB | Scott Zimmerman, Rhe | | TE | James Whalen, Sco | LB | Dwan Epps, Ams | | T | Josh Rawlings, Fra | LB | Gary Stills, Fra | | G | Donnie Young, Bar | CB | Anthony Malbrough, Bar | | C | Michael Early, Rhe | S | Deke Cooper, Rhe | | G | Steve Herndon,
Bar | S | Clarence
LeBlanc, Rhe | | T | John Feugill, Bar | CB | Todd McMillon, Fra |
| | Special Teams |
|---|
| K | Rob Hart, Sco | | P | Brian Moorman, Ber | | Spec. | Jordan Younger, Rhe |
http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0882864.html
2002 January
31, 2002 NFL announces
that the Barcelona Dragons will change their name to the F.C. Barcelona Dragons as part of a historic partnership with one
of the biggest soccer clubs in Europe. The Dragons will play at F.C. Barcelona's Mini Estadi. February 3, 2002 Ex-Amsterdam kicker Adam Vinatieri lands a 48-yard field goal as time expires to give the
New England Patriots a 20-17 victory against the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. It caps an NFL season that has seen 217
former NFLEL players on NFL rosters, including 10 quarterbacks who started games during the NFL season. Former Admirals quarterback
Kurt Warner won his second MVP award and was one of four NFLEL veterans selected for the Pro Bowl. February 12, 2002 NFLEL announces that NFL teams are allocating a record 257 players for the 2002 season.
April 13, 2002 NFLEL kicks off its tenth season. June 8, 2002 NFLEL record crowd of 58,527 sees the Frankfurt Galaxy play host to Rhein Fire in the Waldstadion.
June 22, 2002 Berlin Thunder becomes first NFLEL team to win back-to-back World
Bowls, beating Rhein Fire 26-20 in the Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf, the final event before the stadium is rebuilt. October 15, 2002 Rhein Fire announces it will play home games in the 62,000-capacity ArenaAufschalke in
Gelsenkirchen for at least two years. November
27, 2002 Berlin Thunder
announces that team will play home games in Olympic Stadium in 2003.
2002 Results & Standings | WEEK 1 |
|---|
| Teams | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | Final | Attendance | Day
/ Date | Time / Local / TV |
|---|
Berlin Thunder
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 3
7 | 7
7 | 14
0 | 0
10 | 0
3 | 24
27 | 25,639 | Saturday
April 13, 2002 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM
FOX Sports Net | Rhein Fire
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 0
3 | 3
17 | 0
7 | 7
0 | | 10
27 | 13,743 | Saturday
April 13, 2002 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM
DirecTV | Barcelona Dragons
@ Scottish
Claymores | 0
7 | 7
3 | 3
14 | 7
21 | | 17
45 | 11,808 | Sunday
April 14, 2002 | 10:00 AM EST
3:00 PM
DirecTV | | WEEK 2 |
|---|
Scottish Claymores
@ Rhein Fire | 3
0 | 0
3 | 0
0 | 7
10 | | 10
13 | 30,117 | Saturday
April 20, 2002 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM
DirecTV | Amsterdam
Admirals
@ Berlin Thunder | 7
3 | 10
3 | 0
7 | 7
6 | | 24
19 | 10,699 | Saturday
April 20, 2002 | 12:00 PM EST
6:00
PM
DirecTV | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Barcelona Dragons | 12
0 | 7
0 | 14
0 | 21
14 | | 54
14 | 11,722 | Saturday
April 20, 2002
at F.C. Barcelona Ministadion | 10:00 AM EST
4:00 PM
FOX Sports Net | | WEEK 3 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
@ Barcelona Dragons | 10
7 | 7
13 | 3
7 | 7
3 | | 27
30 | 8,200 | Saturday
April 27, 2002 | 11:30 AM EST
5:30 PM
DirecTV | Rhein Fire
@ Berlin Thunder | 0
7 | 3
6 | 7
3 | 10
0 | | 20
16 | 9,327 | Saturday
April 27, 2002 | 12:00 PM EST
6:00
PM
DirecTV | Scottish Claymores
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
0 | 6
7 | 0
6 | 3
3 | | 9
16 | 31,215 | Saturday
April 27, 2002 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM
FOX Sports Net | | WEEK 4 |
|---|
Berlin Thunder
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 7
0 | 0
0 | 14
7 | 7
2 | | 28
9 | 10,207 | Friday
May 3, 2002 | 2:00 PM EST
8:00 PM
DirecTV | Barcelona Dragons
@ Rhein
Fire | 0
7 | 0
14 | 0
3 | 3
7 | | 3
31 | 26,711 | Saturday
May 4, 2002 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM
FOX Sports Net | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Scottish Claymores | 0
0 | 7
3 | 0
7 | 7
0 | | 14
10 | 9,197 | Sunday
May 5, 2002
at Murrayfield | 10:00 AM EST
3:00 PM
DirecTV | | WEEK 5 |
|---|
Scottish Claymores
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 3
3 | 6
0 | 0
3 | 7
7 | | 16
13 | 9,243 | Saturday
May 11, 2002 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM
FOX Sports Net | Frankfurt Galaxy
@
Rhein Fire | 10
7 | 7
7 | 0
10 | 3
0 | | 20
24 | 41,109 | Saturday
May 11, 2002 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM
DirecTV | Barcelona Dragons
@ Berlin Thunder | 7
7 | 0
7 | 7
7 | 0
3 | | 14
24 | 8,449 | Sunday
May 12, 2002 | 9:00
AM EST
3:00 PM
DirecTV | | WEEK 6 |
|---|
Berlin
Thunder
@ Barcelona Dragons | 3
0 | 6
10 | 8
3 | 7
3 | | 24
16 | 7,729 | Saturday
May 18, 2002 | 11:30 AM EST
5:30
PM
FOX Sports Net | Amsterdam Admirals
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 6
0 | 0
11 | 0
7 | 13
3 | | 19
21 | 27,456 | Sunday
May 19, 2002 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM
FOX | Rhein Fire
@ Scottish Claymores | 0
0 | 7
14 | 0
3 | 0
0 | | 7
17 | 12,843 | Sunday
May 19, 2002 | 10:00
AM EST
3:00 PM
DirecTV | | WEEK 7 |
|---|
Barcelona
Dragons
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 7
0 | 7
3 | 0
7 | 17
0 | | 31
10 | 26,639 | Saturday
May 25, 2002 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00
PM
FOX Sports Net | Berlin Thunder
@ Rhein Fire | 7
7 | 0
0 | 7
14 | 0
3 | | 14
24 | 32,287 | Sunday
May 26, 2002 | 10:00 AM EST
4:00 PM
FOX | Amsterdam Admirals
@ Scottish Claymores | 3
0 | 0
3 | 3
7 | 7
7 | | 13
17 | 10,373 | Sunday
May 26, 2002 | 10:00 AM EST
3:00 PM
DirecTV | | WEEK 8 |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Amsterdam
Admirals | 0
0 | 13
10 | 0
0 | 7
3 | | 20
13 | 11,983 | Saturday
June 01, 2002 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM
FOX Sports
Net | Rhein Fire
@ Barcelona Dragons | 0
0 | 14
0 | 7
14 | 3
7 | | 24
21 | 8,712 | Saturday
June 01, 2002 | 11:30 AM EST
5:30 PM
DirecTV | Scottish
Claymores
@ Berlin Thunder | 3
0 | 7
10 | 10
7 | 3
14 | | 23
31 | 8,696 | Sunday
June 02, 2002 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM
FOX | | WEEK 9 |
|---|
Rhein Fire
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
0 | 3
0 | 0
0 | 0
0 | | 3
0 | 58,572 | Saturday
June 08, 2002 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM
FOX Sports Net | Barcelona Dragons
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 0
14 | 10
7 | 14
7 | 7
17 | | 31
45 | 13,146 | Saturday
June 08, 2002 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM
DirecTV | Berlin Thunder
@ Scottish
Claymores | 0
6 | 10
7 | 0
10 | 14
0 | | 24
23 | 11,722 | Sunday
June 09, 2002 | 10:00 AM EST
3:00 PM
DirecTV | | WEEK 10 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
@ Rhein Fire | 7
0 | 14
10 | 7
0 | 0
0 | | 28
10 | 33,486 | Saturday
June 15, 2002 | 1:00 PM EST
7:00 PM
DirecTV | Scottish
Claymores
@ Barcelona Dragons | 7
7 | 14
7 | 0
3 | 6
7 | | 27
24 | 8,119 | Saturday
June 15, 2002 | 11:30 AM EST
5:30
PM
DirecTV | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Berlin Thunder | 7
7 | 0
3 | 0
7 | 0
10 | | 7
27 | 12,397 | Saturday
June 15, 2002 | 12:00 PM EST
6:00 PM
FOX Sports Net | | WORLD BOWL 2002 at Rheinstadion; Düsseldorf, Germany |
|---|
Berlin Thunder
vs Rhein Fire | 13
0 | 7
0 | 3
7 | 3
13 | | 26
20 | 53,109 | Saturday
June 22, 2002 | 12:00 PM EST
6:00 PM
FOX |
http://www.hworth.net/nflel/scores2002.html
2003 January
26, 2003 A record 18 former
NFLEL players are on the Super Bowl rosters of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders, including game-winning quarterback
Brad Johnson of the Buccaneers, a former London Monarch. It caps a season in which a record 257 ex-NFLEL players have appeared
on NFL rosters and a record eight have been selected for Pro Bowl. April 5, 2003 NFLEL
kicks off its eleventh season. June
14, 2003 Frankfurt Galaxy
beats Rhein Fire 35-16 to win World Bowl XI at Glasgow's Hampden Park, becoming the first franchise to win three World Bowls.
October 28, 2003 NFLEL announces that it has suspended operations of the Barcelona
Dragons due to falling attendances. November
3, 2003 The German city
of Cologne is named as the site of a new NFLEL franchise. Former Berlin Thunder head coach Peter Vaas is names as the team's
head coach. December 19, 2003 The NFLEL's newest team is officially named as the Cologne Centurions.
Lewis
leads Galaxy to record win June 14, 2003 Frankfurt Galaxy 35 Rhein Fire 16 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland  Jonas Lewis rushed for a World Bowl record 126 yards. photo:
photo-stock.co.uk RUNNING
back Jonas Lewis rushed for a World Bowl record 126 yards and a touchdown as the Frankfurt Galaxy became the first team in
NFL Europe League history to win three World Bowls as they defeated their Deutschland Derby rivals in Glasgow, Scotland. Lewis was named MVP of World Bowl XI as the Galaxy added to the World Bowl
titles they won in 1995 and 1999 in emphatic fashion. Fellow running back Robert Gillespie added 88 rushing yards and also
scored a touchdown for victorious Frankfurt. Rhein was able
to move the football, gaining 418 yards on offense, but they failed to take advantage of several scoring opportunities, settling
for field goals instead of touchdowns before finally finding the end zone late in the fourth period when the game was already
out of reach. Frankfurt took the opening kickoff of the contest
and quickly moved into scoring range as quarterback James Brown hit wide receiver Robert Baker for 14 yards and Lewis gained
22 yards on a scamper up the middle. The drive stalled in
Fire territory when Brown threw two incompletions and then came up short on a third down scramble. But the Galaxy took an
early lead when Jon Hilbert kicked a 53-yard field goal - worth four points in NFL Europe. The Galaxy stretched their lead to 11-0 in the first period after forcing the Fire to punt on their
opening drive. Lewis carried five times for 22 yards on the 79-yard scoring drive and capped the march with a 1-yard touchdown
run. Brown also moved Frankfurt downfield with completions
of 11 and 17 yards to wide receiver Marc Lester. However, the key play was a pass interference call on defensive back Lemual
Ligon, who tackled Brian McDonald to the ground as a third down pass into the end zone fell incomplete. The penalty cost the
Fire 29 yards and one play later Lewis skipped untouched into the end zone and Ralf Kleinmann tacked on the extra point. Rhein responded with Frank Moreau carrying the ball five times for 24 yards
and Nick Rolovich hitting wide receiver Todd Elstrom for a 32-yard gain. The
drive stalled at the Galaxy 21-yard line when All-NFL Europe League defensive tackle Luis Almanzar sacked Rolovich. Todd France
kicked a 39-yard field goal with 56 seconds remaining in the first quarter to reduce the Frankfurt lead to 11-3. The Fire gifted the Galaxy their next points when Josh McKibben's fourth
down snap went over punter Jay Taylor's head, giving Frankfurt possession at Rhein's 15-yard line. Three plays later, Jacksonville Jaguars allocated quarterback Quinn Gray lofted a 20-yard touchdown
pass to Lester and the Galaxy had an 18-3 lead with 9:53 to play in the second quarter. Rhein fought back with Moreau running for gains of 13 and 8 yards, and Chris Greisen hitting tight
end Chad Mustard on completions of 14 and 11 yards, as well as a 10-yarder to wideout Kendall Newson. The drive was halted on third and goal at the Galaxy 3-yard line when Greisen was sacked for a 10-yard
loss by defensive end Joey Evans. German kicker Ingo Anderbrügge split the uprights on a 31-yard field goal attempt to
reduce the arrears to 18-6 with just under four minutes remaining in the first half.  Robert Gillespie scored on a 29-yard run. photo:
photo-stock.co.uk Frankfurt's response was
emphatic as Lewis ripped off a jinking 42-yard run before Gillespie, of the Washington Redskins, capped a three-play scoring
drive with a 29-yard sprint off left tackle into the end zone for a 25-6 Galaxy lead. Rhein managed to claw three points back as Anderbrügge chipped a 27-yard field goal as time
expired at the end of the first half. Greisen moved the Fire into scoring range with completions of 11 and 10 yards to running
back Autry Denson, 10 yards to wideout Emmett Johnson and 7 yards to Lavell Boyd. The Fire made a promising start to the second half as they marched 79 yards to the Galaxy 1-yard line on Rolovich
completions to Elstrom (8 yards), tight end Dwayne Blakley (23 yards), Newson (6 and 18 yards) and Boyd (7 yards). But on fourth and goal from the 1-yard line, the scoring opportunity was
wasted as Rolovich fumbled the snap from center and German defensive end Daniel Benetka recovered the loose ball for Frankfurt. Starting at their own 1-yard line, the Galaxy marched 99 yards in 10 plays
and extended the lead to 32-9 when Adam Tate dived into the end zone from a yard out with 3:13 remaining in the third period. Gillespie ripped off runs of 17 and 31 yards on the drive, while Brown
completed passes of 16 and 6 yards to Baltimore Ravens allocated wideout Lester. The Fire had another chance to score a touchdown early in the fourth quarter when they moved to Frankfurt's
3-yard line. But Rolovich's second down pass into the end zone was picked off by Galaxy cornerback Chris Pointer. Kleinmann put an exclamation point on Frankfurt's victory when he booted
a 34-yard field goal with 4:37 remaining. Rhein scored a consolation touchdown with 1:55 left on the clock when Greisen hit
Blakley from 5 yards out. 2003 Results & Standings | Teams | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | Final | Attendance | Day
/ Date | Time | U.S. TV |
|---|
| | LOC | EDT | PDT | |
|---|
| WEEK 1 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
@ Rhein Fire | 3
0 | 7
3 | 0
6 | 7
6 | | 17
15 | 28,206 | Saturday
April 5 | 7:00 PM | 12:00 PM | 9:00
AM | Fox Sports Net | F.C. Barcelona Dragons
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
6 | 7
3 | 0
3 | 6
3 | | 13
15 | 23,313 | Saturday
April 5 | 7:00
PM | 12:00 PM | 9:00 AM | DirectTV 704 | Berlin Thunder
@ Scottish
Claymores | 10
14 | 21
14 | 0
20 | 0
14 | | 31
62 | 14,894 | Sunday
April 6 | 3:00 PM | 10:00 AM | 7:00 AM | DirectTV 704 | | WEEK 2 |
|---|
F.C. Barcelona Dragons
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 3
0 | 0
0 | 0
7 | 7
0 | | 10
7 | 11,386 | Saturday
April 12 | 7:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 10:00 AM | Fox
Sports Net | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Scottish Claymores | 7
7 | 0
0 | 3
0 | 7
6 | | 17
13 | 11,104 | Sunday
April 13 | 3:00 PM | 10:00 AM | 7:00
AM | DirectTV 704 | Rhein Fire
@ Berlin Thunder | 7
3 | 7
0 | 7
0 | 0
7 | | 21
10 | 16,312 | Sunday
April 13 | 4:00 PM | 10:00 AM | 7:00
AM | DirectTV 705 | | WEEK 3 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
@ F.C. Barcelona Dragons | 0
7 | 10
7 | 0
7 | 7
14 | | 17
35 | 4,716 | Saturday
April 19 | 5:30 PM | 11:30 AM | 8:30 AM | DirectTV 704 | Berlin
Thunder
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
35 | 14
0 | 7
3 | 0
3 | | 21
41 | 22,758 | Saturday
April 19 | 7:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 10:00 AM | DirectTV 705 | Scottish
Claymores
@ Rhein Fire | 0
7 | 3
13 | 0
0 | 14
14 | | 17
34 | 43,985 | Saturday
April 19 | 7:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 10:00 AM | Fox Sports Net | | WEEK 4 |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 6
0 | 0
7 | 3
0 | 7
13 | | 16
20 | 10,684 | Saturday
April 26 | 5:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 8:00 AM | Fox
Sports Net | Rhein Fire
@ F.C. Barcelona Dragons | 3
7 | 0
0 | 0
0 | 0
4 | | 3
11 | 6,182 | Saturday
April 26 | 5:00 PM | 11:00 AM | 8:00
AM | DirectTV 704 | Scottish Claymores
@ Berlin Thunder | 14
7 | 6
10 | 7
0 | 7
0 | | 34
17 | 10,413 | Sunday
April 27 | 4:00 PM | 10:00 AM | 8:00
AM | DirectTV 704 | | WEEK 5 |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
@
Rhein Fire | 7
3 | 0
11 | 0
0 | 0
0 | | 7
14 | 42,324 | Saturday
May 3 | 7:00
PM | 1:00 PM | 10:00 AM | Fox Sports Net | Amsterdam Admirals
@
Berlin Thunder | 7
6 | 3
14 | 0
14 | 20
0 | | 30
34 | 8,934 | Sunday
May 4 | 4:00 PM | 10:00 AM | 8:00 AM | DirectTV 705 | F.C.
Barcelona Dragons
@ Scottish Claymores | 7
0 | 7
0 | 3
0 | 0
10 | | 17
10 | 8,783 | Sunday
May 4 | 3:00 PM | 10:00 AM | 7:00 AM | DirectTV 704 | | WEEK 6 |
|---|
Berlin Thunder
@ F.C. Barcelona Dragons | 7
0 | 14
0 | 0
0 | 3
14 | | 24
14 | 7,597 | Saturday
May 10 | 5:30 PM | 11:30 AM | 8:30 AM | Fox
Sports Net | Rhein Fire
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 14
14 | 7
7 | 10
0 | 3
6 | | 34
27 | 11,672 | Saturday
May 10 | 7:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 10:00
AM | DirectTV 704 | Scottish Claymores
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 14
0 | 7
6 | 0
7 | 6
14 | 0
6 | 27
33 | 22,324 | Saturday
May 10 | 7:00 PM | 1:00
PM | 10:00 AM | DirectTV 705 | | WEEK 7 |
|---|
Amsterdam
Admirals
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 7
3 | 10
7 | 0
0 | 10
14 | | 27
24 | 23,129 | Saturday
May 17 | 7:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 10:00 AM | DirectTV 704 | F.C.
Barcelona Dragons
@ Berlin Thunder | 6
4 | 7
10 | 7
3 | 3
3 | | 23
20 | 11,766 | Saturday
May 17 | 7:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 10:00 AM | Fox Sports Net | Rhein
Fire
@ Scottish Claymores | 0
9 | 0
7 | 0
10 | 0
7 | | 0
33 | 8,279 | Sunday
May 18 | 3:00 PM | 10:00 AM | 7:00 AM | FOX | | WEEK 8 |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
@ F.C. Barcelona Dragons | 6
0 | 14
7 | 3
6 | 24
0 | | 47
13 | 7,597 | Saturday
May 24 | 5:30 PM | 11:30 AM | 8:30 AM | DirectTV
704 | Scottish Claymores
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 7
0 | 17
10 | 0
0 | 7
10 | | 31
20 | 11,259 | Saturday
May 24 | 7:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 10:00
AM | Fox Sports Net | Berlin Thunder
@ Rhein Fire | 4
7 | 10
7 | 0
6 | 7
8 | | 21
28 | 27,895 | Sunday
May 25 | 4:00 PM | 10:00 AM | 7:00
AM | FOX | | WEEK 9 |
|---|
Berlin Thunder
@ Amsterdam
Admirals | 7
20 | 7
14 | 21
14 | 8
3 | | 43
51 | 12,207 | Saturday
May 31 | 7:00
PM | 1:00 PM | 10:00 AM | DirectTV 704 | Scottish Claymores
@
F.C. Barcelona Dragons | 14
0 | 21
0 | 7
0 | 3
7 | | 45
7 | 8,247 | Saturday
May 31 | 5:30 PM | 11:30 AM | 8:30 AM | Fox Sports Net | Rhein
Fire
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
0 | 0
21 | 0
7 | 7
10 | | 7
38 | 25,539 | Sunday
June 1 | 4:00 PM | 10:00 AM | 7:00 AM | FOX | | WEEK 10 |
|---|
F.C. Barcelona Dragons
@ Rhein Fire | 0
3 | 0
23 | 0
0 | 7
7 | | 7
33 | 28,678 | Saturday
June 7 | 7:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 10:00 AM | DirectTV
704 | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Berlin Thunder | 0
3 | 0
17 | 6
0 | 8
7 | | 14
27 | 13,768 | Saturday
June 7 | 7:00 PM | 1:00 PM | 10:00
AM | Fox Sports Net | Amsterdam Admirals
@ Scottish Claymores | 7
7 | 0
7 | 7
7 | 0
10 | | 14
31 | 10,497 | Sunday
June 8 | 3:00
PM | 10:00 AM | 7:00 AM | DirectTV 704 | | WORLD BOWL 2003 at Hampden Park (Glasgow, Scotland) |
|---|
Rhein Fire
Frankfurt Galaxy | 3
11 | 6
14 | 0
7 | 7
3 | | 16
35 | 28,138 | Saturday
June 14 | 5:00
PM | 12:00 PM | 9:00 AM | FOX |
http://www.hworth.net/nflel/scores2003.html
2004 February
1, 2004 Ex-Admiral Adam
Vinatieri kicks a 41-yard field goal with four seconds remaining as the New England Patriots beat the Carolina Panthers 32-29
in Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston. Former Amsterdam and Frankfurt quarterback Jake Delhomme starts for the Panthers, becoming
the fourth NFLEL quarterback in five years to start in Super Bowl. The game caps a season in which 232 ex-NFLEL players appear
on NFL rosters. April 3, 2004 NFLEL's twelfth season kicks off. 2004 Results & Standings | Teams | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | Final | Attendance | Day
/ Date | Local Time | U.S. TV, Eastern Time |
|---|
| WEEK 1 |
|---|
Amsterdam
Admirals
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 3
0 | 0
17 | 0
7 | 8
10 | | 11
34 | 21,269 | Saturday
April 3 | 7:00 PM | DirecTV, Live 12 noon
NFL Network, Delay 8 pm | Cologne
Centurions
@ Rhein Fire | 10
14 | 6
3 | 3
7 | 6
2 | | 25
26 | 22,736 | Sunday
April 4 | 4:00 PM | NFL Network, Live 10am, Delay 8pm | Scottish Claymores
@ Berlin Thunder | 0
0 | 7
10 | 0
7 | 7
3 | | 14
20 | 14,257 | Sunday
April 4 | 4:00 PM | | | WEEK 2 |
|---|
Berlin
Thunder
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 0
0 | 7
10 | 14
0 | 7
7 | | 28
17 | 10,763 | Saturday
April 10 | 7:00 PM | | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Cologne Centurions | 7
3 | 0
0 | 0
0 | 13
7 | | 20
10 | 9,134 | Saturday
April 10 | 7:00
PM | NFL Network, Live 1pm, Delay 8pm | Scottish Claymores
@ Rhein Fire | 3
0 | 0
10 | 0
14 | 0
7 | | 3
31 | 17,176 | Saturday
April 10 | 7:00
PM | DirecTV, Live 1pm
NFL Network, Delay, Sunday 8pm | | WEEK 3 |
|---|
Rhein Fire
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 7
7 | 3
14 | 0
7 | 0
0 | | 10
28 | 27,213 | Saturday
April 17 | 7:00 PM | NFL Network, Live 1pm, Delay 8pm | Amsterdam Admirals
@ Scottish Claymores | 3
0 | 0
0 | 0
0 | 0
0 | | 3
0 | 10,971 | Sunday
April 18 | 2:00 PM | DirecTV, Live 9am
NFL Network,
Delay 8pm | Cologne Centurions
@ Berlin Thunder | 7
21 | 14
7 | 3
7 | 7
0 | | 31
35 | 12,036 | Sunday
April 18 | 4:00 PM | | | WEEK 4 |
|---|
Berlin Thunder
@ Rhein Fire | 0
7 | 0
3 | 0
0 | 14
0 | | 14
10 | 20,242 | Saturday
April 24 | 7:00 PM | NFL Network,
Live 1pm, Delay 8pm | Scottish Claymores
@ Cologne Centurions | 3
7 | 0
10 | 0
0 | 0
0 | | 3
17 | 8,761 | Saturday
April 24 | 7:00 PM | | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 7
0 | 3
7 | 7
3 | 0
7 | 0
4 | 17
21 | 10,684 | Sunday
April 25 | 3:00 PM | DirecTV, Live 9am
NFL Network,
Delay 8pm | | WEEK 5 |
|---|
Cologne Centurions
@ Frankfurt
Galaxy | 3
3 | 0
14 | 7
0 | 7
7 | | 17
24 | 24,117 | Saturday
May 1 | 7:00
PM | NFL Network, Live 1pm, Delay 8pm | Amsterdam Admirals
@ Berlin Thunder | 0
0 | 7
12 | 7
7 | 15
14 | | 29
33 | 12,909 | Sunday
May 2 | 4:00
PM | | Rhein Fire
@ Scottish Claymores | 3
7 | 0
0 | 6
0 | 3
6 | | 12
13 | 9,165 | Sunday
May 2 | 2:00 PM | DirecTV, Live 9am
NFL Network, Delay 8pm | | WEEK 6 |
|---|
Berlin Thunder
@
Cologne Centurions | 7
14 | 7
0 | 0
7 | 13
7 | | 27
28 | 10,164 | Saturday
May 8 | 7:00 PM | NFL Network, Live 1pm, Delay 8pm | Amsterdam Admirals
@ Rhein Fire | 0
14 | 3
0 | 7
3 | 3
3 | | 13
20 | 18,790 | Sunday
May 9 | 4:00 PM | DirecTV, Live 10am
NFL Network, Delay 5pm | Frankfurt
Galaxy
@ Scottish Claymores | 0
3 | 9
3 | 3
0 | 3
7 | | 15
13 | 9,017 | Sunday
May 9 | 2:00 PM | DirecTV, Live 9am
NFL Network, Delay 8pm | | WEEK 7 |
|---|
Cologne Centurions
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 0
7 | 3
7 | 7
3 | 0
0 | | 10
17 | 14,437 | Saturday
May 15 | 7:00 PM | NFL Network, Live 1pm, Delay 8pm | Rhein Fire
@ Berlin Thunder | 0
3 | 0
14 | 7
7 | 13
9 | | 20
33 | 15,429 | Sunday
May 16 | 4:00 PM | NFL Network or DirecTV, Live 10am
NFL Network,
Delay 5pm | Scottish Claymores
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 3
14 | 7
7 | 7
6 | 7
0 | | 24
27 | 26,879 | Sunday
May 16 | 4:00 PM | NFL Network or DirecTV,
Live 10am
NFL Network, Delay 5pm | | WEEK 8 |
|---|
Scottish
Claymores
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 3
3 | 13
0 | 0
7 | 3
7 | | 19
17 | 10,738 | Friday
May 21 | 8:00 PM | DirecTV, Live 2pm
NFL Network, Delay Saturday 8pm | Berlin
Thunder
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 10
0 | 7
20 | 7
7 | 7
0 | | 31
27 | 30,812 | Saturday
May 22 | 7:00 PM | NFL Network, Live 1pm, Delay Sunday 8pm | Rhein Fire
@ Cologne Centurions | 0
0 | 6
0 | 0
7 | 0
0 | | 6
7 | 20,354 | Sunday
May 23 | 4:00 PM | FOX, Delay 2pm | | WEEK 9 |
|---|
Berlin
Thunder
@ Scottish Claymores | 0
10 | 6
3 | 7
3 | 14
3 | | 27
19 | 9,153 | Saturday
May 29 | 2:00 PM | DirecTV, Live 9am
NFL Network, Delay Sunday 8pm | Frankfurt
Galaxy
@ Rhein Fire | 0
7 | 7
0 | 0
7 | 7
0 | 6
0 | 20
14 | 26,417 | Saturday
May 29 | 7:00 PM | NFL Network, Live 1pm, Delay 8pm | Amsterdam Admirals
@ Cologne Centurions | 7
4 | 7
0 | 3
7 | 6
7 | | 23
18 | 9,056 | Sunday
May 30 | 4:00 PM | FOX, Delay 1pm | | WEEK 10 |
|---|
Cologne
Centurions
@ Scottish Claymores | 0
0 | 14
7 | 0
13 | 14
0 | | 28
20 | 10,013 | Saturday
June 5 | 2:00 PM | NFL Network, Live 9am, Delay 8pm | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Berlin Thunder | 0
3 | 0
17 | 0
7 | 0
14 | | 0
41 | 19,175 | Sunday
June 6 | 4:00 PM | FOX, Delay 1pm | Rhein Fire
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 0
7 | 6
0 | 6
8 | 0
7 | | 12
22 | 15,874 | Sunday
June 6 | 3:00
PM | DirecTV, Live 9am
NFL Network, Delay 8pm | | WORLD BOWL 2004 at Arena AufSchalke (Gelsenkirchen, Germany) |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
Berlin Thunder | 3
7 | 7
3 | 0
13 | 14
7 | | 24
30 | 35,413 | Saturday
June 12 | 6:00
PM CET | FOX, Live 12:00 noon |
http://www.hworth.net/nflel/scores2004.html
2005 2005
Results & Standings | Teams | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | Final | Attendance | Day
/ Date | Local Time | US TV | Eastern Time |
|---|
| WEEK 1 |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
at Berlin Thunder | 0
3 | 0
14 | 0
3 | 7
10 | | 7
30 | 16,199 | Saturday April 2 | 6:00 p.m. | DTV | 11:00 | Hamburg Sea Devils
at Cologne Centurions | 7
7 | 3
7 | 3
3 | 10
7 | | 23
24 | 9,468 | Saturday April 2 | 6:00 p.m. | - | - | Rhein
Fire
at Amsterdam Admirals | 0
7 | 3
0 | 3
3 | 8
14 | | 14
24 | 10,234 | Saturday April 2 | 7:00 p.m. | NFL Network | 12:00 | | WEEK 2 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
at Frankfurt Galaxy | 14
0 | 0
7 | 0
13 | 0
3 | | 14
23 | 31,644 | Saturday April 9 | 7:00 p.m. | DTV | 13:00 | Cologne
Centurions
at Rhein Fire | 6
0 | 3
3 | 7
0 | 7
7 | | 23
10 | 25,304 | Sunday April 10 | 4:00 p.m. | NFL Network | 10:00 | Hamburg Sea Devils
at Berlin Thunder | 3
5 | 3
0 | 0
7 | 7
3 | | 13
15 | 14,312 | Sunday April 10 | 4:00 p.m. | - | - | | WEEK 3 |
|---|
Frankfurt
Galaxy
at Cologne Centurions | 7
3 | 7
7 | 0
10 | 0
3 | | 14
23 | 10,821 | Saturday April 16 | 6:00 p.m. | DTV | 12:00 | Berlin Thunder
at Amsterdam Admirals | 3
0 | 3
3 | 7
14 | 14
14 | | 27
31 | 10,131 | Saturday April 16 | 7:00
p.m. | - | - | Rhein Fire
at
Hamburg Sea Devils | 0
10 | 0
21 | 7
0 | 17
0 | | 24
31 | 19,865 | Saturday April 16 | 7:00 p.m. | NFL Network | 13:00 | | WEEK 4 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
at Cologne Centurions | 7
10 | 20
7 | 7
0 | 3
7 | | 37
24 | 8,863 | Saturday April 23 | 6:00 p.m. | - | - | Berlin
Thunder
at Rhein Fire | 7
7 | 7
7 | 0
7 | 16
7 | | 30
28 | 20,399 | Saturday April 23 | 7:00 p.m. | DTV | 13:00 | Hamburg Sea Devils
at Frankfurt Galaxy | 9
0 | 7
3 | 7
0 | 7
7 | | 30
10 | 22,347 | Saturday April 23 | 7:00
p.m. | NFL Network | 13:00 | | WEEK 5 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
at Berlin Thunder | 3
7 | 7
3 | 3
7 | 3
10 | | 16
27 | 16,109 | Saturday April 30 | 6:00
p.m. | - | - | Cologne Centurions
at Hamburg Sea Devils | 0
0 | 3
6 | 0
0 | 3
17 | | 6
23 | 15,228 | Saturday April 30 | 7:00 p.m. | DTV | 13:00 | Rhein Fire
at Frankfurt Galaxy | 7
0 | 6
7 | 0
9 | 7
7 | | 20
23 | 27,439 | Saturday April 30 | 7:00 p.m. | NFL
Network | 13:00 | | WEEK 6 |
|---|
Hamburg
Sea Devils
at Rhein Fire | 0
7 | 6
7 | 7
10 | 6
0 | | 19
24 | 18,632 | Saturday May 7 | 7:00 p.m. | NFL Network | 13:00 | Frankfurt Galaxy
at Amsterdam Admirals | 3
7 | 0
24 | 7
14 | 0
3 | | 10
48 | 13,227 | Sunday May 8 | 3:00 p.m. | DTV | 9:00 | Berlin Thunder
at
Cologne Centurions | 0
10 | 7
0 | 10
0 | 0
13 | | 17
23 | 9,485 | Sunday May 8 | 4:00 p.m. | - | - | | WEEK 7 |
|---|
Rhein Fire
at Berlin Thunder | 0
0 | 12
10 | 3
7 | 0
7 | | 15
24 | 16,695 | Saturday May 14 | 6:00 p.m. | - | - | Amsterdam Admirals
at Hamburg
Sea Devils | 14
0 | 3
13 | 0
3 | 7
8 | | 24
30 | 16,415 | Saturday
May 14 | 7:00 p.m. | DTV | 13:00 | Cologne Centurions
at Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
7 | 10
7 | 0
0 | 7
3 | | 20
17 | 25,347 | Saturday May 14 | 7:00 p.m. | NFL
Network | 13:00 | | WEEK 8 |
|---|
Frankfurt
Galaxy
at Rhein Fire | 7
0 | 10
0 | 3
3 | 0
10 | | 20
13 | 28,124 | Saturday May 21 | 7:00 p.m. | NFL Network | 13:00 | Berlin Thunder
at Hamburg Sea Devils | 7
7 | 7
7 | 7
3 | 6
0 | | 27
17 | 16,889 | Sunday May 22 | 4:00 p.m. | FOX | 10:00 | Cologne Centurions
at Amsterdam Admirals | 6
0 | 6
17 | 0
7 | 0
6 | | 12
30 | 14,423 | Monday May 23 | 8:00 p.m. | DTV | 14:00 | | WEEK 9 |
|---|
Berlin Thunder
at Frankfurt Galaxy | 7
7 | 7
14 | 3
0 | 14
3 | | 31
24 | 40,109 | Saturday May 28 | 7:00 p.m. | NFL Network | 13:00 | Hamburg Sea Devils
at Amsterdam Admirals | 0
3 | 3
3 | 0
14 | 7
7 | | 10
27 | 16,371 | Sunday May 29 | 3:00 p.m. | DTV | 09:00 | Rhein Fire
at Cologne Centurions | 0
0 | 14
0 | 7
7 | 7
9 | | 28
16 | 32,521 | Sunday May 29 | 4:00 p.m. | FOX | 10:00 | | WEEK 10 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
at Rhein Fire | 0
0 | 0
10 | 0
3 | 14
14 | | 14
27 | 20,203 | Saturday June 4 | 7:00 p.m. | NFL
Network | 13:00 | Frankfurt Galaxy
at Hamburg
Sea Devils | 0
0 | 6
14 | 0
0 | 9
3 | | 15
17 | 21,204 | Saturday
June 4 | 7:00 p.m. | DTV | 13:00 | Cologne Centurions
at Berlin Thunder | 3
3 | 0
7 | 7
3 | 7
0 | | 17
13 | 20,927 | Sunday June 5 | 4:00 p.m. | FOX | 10:00 | | World Bowl XIII at LTU Arena, Düsseldorf |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
vs Berlin Thunder | 7
0 | 10
7 | 7
0 | 3
14 | | 27
21 | 35,134 | Saturday June 11 | 5:00 p.m. | FOX | 11:00 |
http://www.hworth.net/nflel/scores2005.html
2006 1/30/06
New England Patriots FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New
England Patriots announced the allocation of seven players to the NFL Europe League for its 2006 season: RB Earl Charles,
QB Todd Mortensen, WR Rich Musinski, T Jeff Roehl, CB Antwain Spann, G Nick Steitz and S Raymond Ventrone. FOXBOROUGH, Mass.
- The New England Patriots announced the allocation of seven players to the NFL Europe League for its 2006 season: RB Earl
Charles, QB Todd Mortensen, WR Rich Musinski, T Jeff Roehl, CB Antwain Spann, G Nick Steitz and S Raymond Ventrone. Additionally, the Patriots announced the signings of five players from their 2005 practice squad
to contracts for the 2006 NFL season: LB Eric Alexander, T Wesley Britt, G Ryan Krug, Spann and Ventrone. New England also announced the signings of three additional players to 2006 contracts: LS John Condo,
Roehl and Steitz. Charles, Mortensen and Musinski were signed
to contracts for the 2006 season on Jan. 6, 2006. http://www.patriots.com/search/index.cfm?ac=searchdetail&pid=15279&pcid=47 Impressive start for KinoshitaOn March 18 the NFL Europe, which is financed by the NFL and the players union NFLPA, opened the 2006 season with six japanese players on four of the
NFL Europe rosters. Three players were assigned to the defending World Bowl champion Amsterdam Admirals: WR/KR Noriaki Kinoshita,
former star of the Ritsumeikan University Panthers and two time national champion (2002 and 2003), returns for a second consecutive
season to Amsterdam, LB Rikiya Ishida, former japanese national champion with Kwansei Gakuin University who played for the
Admirals in 2003 and 2004, plays his third season for the Admirals (he missed the 2005 season due to a knee injury) and S
Ryota Hori from the X League team Onward Skylarks is making his NFL Europe debut after trying out for the NFL Europe in 2005
but being cut at the end of the 2005 taining camp in Tampa (Florida). C Masakazu Goda (Onward Skylarks) returns for a second
season to the Berlin Thunder, WR Michihiro Ogawa (Onward Skylarks) for a third season to the Cologne Centurions and WR Shoei
Hasegawa, four year starter for Ritsumeikan University (2002 - 2005) and two time national champion (2002 and 2003), spends
his first season in NFL Europe with Rhein Fire in Düsseldorf.
During the first three weeks of action only the three
Admirals players had the opportunity to showcase their talent. While Ishida and Hori each had a couple of tackles on defense
the biggest story so far is Kinoshita. The speedy receiver up to this point has been the most impressive kick and punt returner.
Through week 3 he had six kickoff returns for 145 yards (24.2 average) and scored his first professional touchdown on a 59-yard
punt return in a 29-33 loss to Berlin in week 1. He also caught one pass in each of the three games for 68 yards (22.7 average). Nine players try out for NFL EuropeAfter a tryout on December 11 in Tokyo nine japanese players were invited to the NFL Europe's
national player training camp in Tampa (Florida) in February 2006. The players are: C Masakazu Goda, WR Michihiro Ogawa and
DB Ryota Hori from the X League team Onward Skylarks, WR Yuji Otaki (Ritsumeikan University Panthers), LB Rikiya Ishida, WR
Noriaki Kinoshita, Kentaro Namiki (coach and former quarterback of the Waseda University Big Bears) and Shoei Hasegawa (coach
and wide receiver at Ritsumeikan University). DB Koki Kato from Kanazawa University will join the group as a so called developmental
player.
If the players survive the national camp in Tampa they will be allocated to some of the six NFL Europe teams.
The 2006 season of the NFL Europe, which is financed by the NFL and the players union NFLPA, will start on March 18 and will
end after a ten week regular season with the World Bowl at the LTU Arena in Düsseldorf (Germany) on May 27. In the 2005
season the Amsterdam Admirals from the Netherlands won the World Bowl for the first time by beating three-time World Bowl
winner Berlin Thunder from Germany 27-21. The four other teams in the league are the Cologne Centurions, Frankfurt Galaxy,
Hamburg Sea Devils and Rhein Fire from Düsseldorf (all from Germany).
Most of the japanese players who were invited
to the NFL Europe training camp already have NFL Europe experience. Kinoshita, who won the Koshien Bowl with Ritsumeikan in
2004, played for the Admirals in 2005, mainly on special teams. His highlight of the season was a 20-yard kickoff return in
the World Bowl. He also had a 21-yard kickoff return and a 12-yard catch during the regular season. Goda, also in his first
NFL Europe season in 2005, played for Thunder but saw only limited action in two games. Former Kwansei Gakuin University player
Ishida used to play for the Admirals in 2003 and 2004. In 2004 he was one of the top national players of the league recording
32 tackles and one quarterback sack. Namiki and Ogawa both spent their second NFL Europe season with the Cologne Centurions
in 2005. In limited action Namiki threw eight passes (completing one) and ran three times for 30 Yards, Ogawa caught six passes
for 67 yards. For Hasegawa, Otaki, Hori and Kato the 2006 season would be the first in the NFL Europe. http://www.american-football-japan.com/footballjapan-nfleurope2006-archiv-eng.htm |
Posted by Mike Sando @ 05:24:05 pm  Four of the 11 players Seattle allocated to NFL Europe this year will finish the season in World Bowl XIV this weekend. We do not do much with the Europe league, but the Seahawks did put together a fairly detailed report on all
11 players. I'm making it available here for those interested. Note: Players allocated to NFLEL do not count
against the 80-man roster limit. Perspective: QB Jon Kitna and DE Michael Sinclair played in Europe before enjoying success with the Seahawks, but most of these players face long odds. Of the 11 players allotted
this year, it's possible none will earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
Posted by Mike Sando @ 09:36:32 am  Seahawks QB Gibran Hamdan (left) has been named offensive MVP for the recently completed NFL Europe season (World Bowl XIV, Saturday, NFL Network, 9 a.m. PDT). Hamdan missed the end of the season after suffering a broken ankle, but his numbers still led the league. Full story here.
What does this mean? Nothing. Well, almost nothing. Hamdan did get some good experience. He probably gained some
confidence and worked on his game. But NFL roster spots are won and lost in training camp and the exhibition season, not in
Europe. Hamdan set an NFL Europe record for passer rating this season, but the top three entering 2006 were ... Kevin Daft (2000), Danny Wuerffel (2000) and David Archer (1992). The key for Hamdan now is recovering from his ankle injury in time to fight for a job in camp. Posted by Mike Sando @ 10:26:55 am NFL teams have changed the exemption status of NFL Europe players recently, standard procedure following
the NFLEL season. WR Skyler Fulton is among those players getting some treatment for bumps and bruises incurred during the NFL Europe season, which explains
why he showed up this week on the exempt/NFLEL injured list. P Gabe Lindstrom and K Ryan Killeen showed up on an exempt/NFLEL injury replacement list, as did newly signed DE Darrell Wright (some of you might remember him from his Oregon days). The type of NFLEL exemption doesn't really matter. The bottom line
is that these players are eligible to remain on the team without counting against the 80-man roster limit. Wednesday, June 21st, 2006 Posted by Mike Sando @ 08:04:23 am  Some things to consider while using valuable company time to ponder whether Skyler Fulton might become the next Steve Largent, or even the next Robert Wilson: The Seahawks have allocated 78 players to NFL Europe since 1995 by my count. Sixty-seven of those players have never played in a regular-season game for Seattle. Of the 11 who
have played in a game for the team, three were limited to a single appearance and only two appeared as starters (Jon Kitna, with 33 starts, and James Logan, with four). Nine of the 11 who played in games were allocated to Europe between 1997 and 1999. The chart lists the 11 players
in order of how many regular-season games each has played for the Seahawks. This year: Seattle allocated
11 players to NFL Europe; 10 remain on the roster. Chart note: "GP" refers to games played
as a Seahawk, while GS refers to games started.
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/seahawks/?cat=90In 2006, the league's schedule opened and closed one month earlier than normal
because of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, which was played at four of the five German stadiums that hosted NFL Europa teams.
(Only the LTU Arena in Düsseldorf was not chosen to host Cup matches, and that stadium hosted the
World Bowl that year.)
2006 Results & Standings | Teams | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | Final | Attendance | Day
/ Date | Local Time | NFL Network TV (EDT)
Game of the Week (Sunday 20:00) |
|---|
| WEEK
1 |
|---|
Berlin Thunder
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 7
0 | 13
7 | 6
7 | 7
15 | | 33
29 | 16,341 | Saturday
March 18 | 7:00 PM | 19:00 (Tape Delay) | Cologne Centurions
@ Hamburg Sea Devils | 7
10 | 0
0 | 7
0 | 0
0 | | 14
10 | 15,243 | Saturday
March 18 | 6:00 PM | March 19, 15:00 (Tape Delay) | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Rhein Fire | 3
7 | 0
3 | 3
0 | 0
0 | | 6
10 | 22,827 | Saturday
March 18 | 7:00 PM | 13:00 (Live) | | WEEK
2 |
|---|
Hamburg Sea Devils
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
7 | 7
14 | 7
3 | 0
7 | | 14
31 | 26,713 | Saturday
March 25 | 7:00 PM | 13:00 (Live) | Rhein Fire
@ Berlin Thunder | 6
0 | 7
0 | 0
0 | 9
0 | | 22
0 | 13,105 | Saturday
March 25 | 6:00 PM | 20:00 (Tape Delay) | Amsterdam
Admirals
@ Cologne Centurions | 3
0 | 7
13 | 10
0 | 0
2 | | 20
15 | 17,251 | Sunday
March 26 | 4:00 PM | 10:00 (Live) | | WEEK 3 |
|---|
Berlin
Thunder
@ Hamburg Sea Devils | 0
0 | 0
17 | 7
0 | 10
0 | 0
0 | 17
17 | 15,837 | Saturday
April 1 | 6:00 PM | 20:00 (Tape Delay) | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Amsterdam
Admirals | 7
14 | 3
10 | 3
7 | 7
7 | | 20
38 | 9,917 | Saturday
April
1 | 7:00 PM | 13:00 (Live) | Rhein Fire
@ Cologne Centurions | 7
0 | 3
10 | 7
0 | 3
0 | | 20
10 | 16,961 | Sunday
April 2 | 4:00
PM | 10:00 (Live) | | WEEK 4 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
@ Berlin Thunder | 7
7 | 14
14 | 14
0 | 3
10 | | 38
31 | 11,443 | Saturday
April 8 | 6:00 PM | April 9, 12:00 (Tape Delay) | Cologne Centurions
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
0 | 7
14 | 0
0 | 7
7 | | 14
21 | 23,125 | Saturday
April 8 | 7:00 PM | 20:00 (Tape Delay) | Hamburg Sea Devils
@ Rhein
Fire | 7
0 | 7
7 | 0
7 | 7
17 | | 21
31 | 18,224 | Saturday
April
8 | 7:00 PM | 13:00 (Live) | | WEEK 5 |
|---|
Frankfurt
Galaxy
@ Hamburg Sea Devils | 0
0 | 7
10 | 3
0 | 7
3 | | 17
13 | 12,281 | Saturday
April 15 | 6:00 PM | 12:00 (Live) | Rhein Fire
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 7
14 | 17
7 | 0
7 | 7
7 | | 31
35 | 12,683 | Saturday
April 15 | 3:00
PM | 16:00 (Tape Delay) | Cologne Centurions
@ Berlin Thunder | 0
0 | 0
10 | 7
7 | 6
7 | | 13
24 | 13,559 | Monday
April 17 | 6:00
PM | 10:00 (Live) | | WEEK 6 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
@ Rhein Fire | 14
7 | 7
7 | 6
0 | 3
7 | | 30
21 | 20,118 | Saturday
April 22 | 7:00 PM | 20:00 (Tape Delay) | Berlin Thunder
@ Frankfurt
Galaxy | 0
0 | 7
3 | 3
6 | 7
9 | | 17
18 | 26,812 | Saturday
April
22 | 7:00 PM | 13:00 (Live) | Hamburg Sea Devils
@ Cologne Centurions | 0
3 | 3
0 | 7
3 | 7
14 | | 17
20 | 9,238 | Sunday
April 23 | 4:00
PM | 10:00 (Live) | | WEEK 7 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
@ Hamburg Sea Devils | 3
0 | 0
17 | 6
0 | 9
0 | | 18
17 | 15,224 | Saturday
April 29 | 6:00 PM | April 30, 00:00 (Tape Delay) | Berlin Thunder
@
Rhein Fire | 0
0 | 3
14 | 7
3 | 14
10 | | 24
27 | 20,598 | Saturday
April
29 | 7:00 PM | April 30, 20:00 (Tape Delay) | Frankfurt Galaxy
@ Cologne
Centurions | 0
7 | 10
0 | 0
3 | 7
0 | | 17
10 | 11,800 | Sunday
April 30 | 4:00
PM | 10:00 (Live) | | WEEK 8 |
|---|
Cologne Centurions
@ Amsterdam Admirals | 3
3 | 10
0 | 7
0 | 0
10 | | 20
13 | 12,228 | Sunday
May 7 | 7:00 PM | 9:00 (Live) | Rhein Fire
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
3 | 7
3 | 0
7 | 7
3 | | 14
16 | 32,172 | Saturday
May 6 | 7:00
PM | 13:00 (Live) | Hamburg Sea Devils
@ Berlin Thunder | 7
0 | 14
7 | 3
0 | 14
7 | | 38
14 | 16,762 | Sunday
May 7 | 4:00 PM | 15:00 (Tape Delay) | | WEEK 9 |
|---|
Amsterdam Admirals
@ Frankfurt Galaxy | 0
3 | 3
3 | 7
0 | 7
6 | | 17
12 | 31,769 | Sunday
May 14 | 5:00 PM | 16:00 (Tape Delay) | Berlin Thunder
@ Cologne Centurions | 0
14 | 0
3 | 7
2 | 0
6 | | 7
25 | 12,438 | Sunday
May 14 | 4:00 PM | 20:00 (Game of the Week) | Rhein Fire
@ Hamburg Sea Devils | 0
0 | 7
3 | 3
3 | 0
7 | | 10
13 | 16,823 | Sunday
May 14 | 4:00 PM | 10:00 (Live) | | WEEK 10 |
|---|
Cologne Centurions
@ Rhein Fire | 7
7 | 3
0 | 0
14 | 0
0 | | 10
21 | 28,334 | Saturday
May 20 | 7:00 PM | 13:00 (Live) | Frankfurt
Galaxy
@ Berlin Thunder | 0
6 | 7
7 | 7
0 | 0
0 | | 14
13 | 14,225 | Saturday
May 20 | 6:00 PM | 17:00 (Tape Delay) | Hamburg Sea Devils
@ Amsterdam
Admirals | 3
0 | 14
0 | 7
7 | 10
14 | | 34
21 | 15,937 | Saturday
May
20 | 7:00 PM | 21:00 (Tape Delay) | WORLD BOWL XIV
@ LTU Arena (Düsseldorf, Germany) |
|---|
Frankfurt Galaxy
Amsterdam Admirals | 2
0 | 0
7 | 10
0 | 10
0 | | 22
7 | 36,286 | Saturday
May 27 | 6:00
PM | 12:00 (Live)
18:00 (Tape Delay)
May 28, 20:00 (Game of the Week) |
2007
Saturday, February 24th, 2007 Posted by Mike Sando @ 12:36:53 pm NFL Europe has announced some allocations. For Seattle, that includes DT Lynn McGruder and LB Tony Robinson (Amsterdam Admirals), QB Travis Lulay
and CB Dennis Davis (Berlin Thunder), and Jason Murphy (Frankfurt Galaxy). Recent NFL Europe players have not impacted the Seahawks. Posted by Mike Sando @ 01:36:37 pm I keep getting NFL Europe updates showing how Seattle's allocated players are faring, only to realize that these players almost never make an impact in the NFL itself. The Hawks have allocated 83 players to NFL Europe since 1995. Of the 55 allocated
since 2002, Alain Kashama and Jason Willis are the only ones to play in regular-season games for Seattle. Each played in one
game. A few of Seattle's early NFL Europe players made an impact, but Jon Kitna and James Logan remain the only ones
to start games for the Seahawks. Kitna started 33. Logan, valued mostly on special teams, started four. The Hawks' 2007 allocations
included Dennis Davis, Travis Lulay, Lynn McGruder, Jason Murphy and Tony Robinson. http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/seahawks/?cat=90 NFL
Europa/Cessation of operationsOn
September 11, 2006, NFL Europe officially re-branded itself as NFL Europa. On June 29, 2007, NFL officials announced that the league would be disbanded effective immediatelycalling
the decision a sound business move that will allow for a stronger international focus on regular-season games outside the
United States. The announcement came less than a week after the Hamburg Sea Devils
beat the Frankfurt Galaxy 37-28 in the World Bowl championship in Frankfurt in front of a crowd of 48,125. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell thanked the fans for their support but said it was time to develop
a new international strategy, terming the move to fold NFL Europa the "best business decision." The league reportedly
was losing about $30 million a season.
Closing of NFL Europa sad move for Japanese players
By JACK GALLAGHER
What began auspiciously long ago ended in profound disappointment recently when the NFL decided to
close its six-team European circuit. After a 16-year experiment, commissioner
Roger Goodell and NFL team owners shuttered NFL Europa (NFL Europe in past seasons) and along with it the hopes of globalizing
American football in a big-time manner for the foreseeable future. The
decision was pawned off on the NFL's intent to begin playing regular-season games outside North America and the fact that
the NFLE was continuing to lose money — reportedly to the tune of around $ 30 million a year. "A foundation of American football fans in key European markets has been created and the time
is right to shift our strategy," Goodell said in a statement, while noting the decision was strictly a business one. The NFLE — or what was left of it — began as the World League of
American Football in 1991 with 10 teams in five countries. Franchises were based in London, Frankfurt, Barcelona, Montreal,
New York, Orlando, San Antonio, Sacramento, Birmingham, Ala., and Raleigh-Durham, N.C. I was fortunate to have been involved at the outset of the WLAF as the director of public relations for the
London Monarchs, the league's flagship franchise, where I worked for the first two seasons. Those were exciting times, as there was great optimism that interest in the sport was sustainable
on some level in international markets over the long term. The Monarchs
went 11-1 that first season and won the inaugural World Bowl before a crowd of more than 61,000 at Wembley Stadium, where
the team averaged more than 40,000 fans per game. On the surface it seemed as if it was the start of something big, but almost
from the moment the final gun sounded on the first title game, the league's troubles began.  | | Noriaki Kinoshita, seen here playing for the Amsterdam
Admirals this season, was invited to training camp by the Atlanta Falcons after gaining exposure in NFL Europa, which folded
June 29 after 16 years. KYODO PHOTO |
The
NFL team owners, always a curious bunch, began hedging their bets on the WLAF over money concerns. It would seem logical to deduce that starting a pro football league in five countries, with players
primarily from one (the United States), would take time and patience, as well as a significant investment. Each NFL team was asked to contribute $ 500,000 annually — a drop in the bucket even in those
days — toward the development of the WLAF. With this money, plus television contracts with both ABC and the USA Network,
the league appeared to be starting off on the right foot. However,
the NFL team owners, apparently lacking any understanding of the economics of starting a new business, began to complain loud
and long about the losses the league had incurred in its first season and tried to shut it down. Guys like Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, who once famously proclaimed, "I go to bed
thinking about making money and I wake up thinking about making money," clearly cared nothing about developing the NFL
internationally. In fact, after that first season, when rumors surfaced
that the WLAF might be shut down, Jones was quoted as saying, " . . . they were looking for a way to make the murder
more palatable." So, you see, this league was doomed from the
start. I have often asked myself, "Why start a new endeavor
like this and then give it lukewarm support and a halfhearted effort?" It
is a question that remains unanswered to this day. The biggest problem
was that WLAF and later NFLE never had a clear mission. Was the
goal to try to grow the game overseas? Or develop players for the
NFL? Or make money while doing both? The league played the 1992 season and then was "suspended" for two years, before returning
in 1995 with a six-team, all-European team format, which it retained through this year. But it was never the same. The European fans are sophisticated, and taking something away, then bringing it
back and trying to insist it was better was a bad idea. In England,
where soccer was going through a down period when the WLAF started, a little thing called the Premier League began in August
of 1992, and commenced a climb that would make it the most popular pro sports league in the world. At the same time, American football became an afterthought in the UK and Europe. When the league
returned, attendance dwindled, teams moved and at the end five of the six teams were in Germany. The sad part of this whole scenario is that in countries like Japan, which has seen 32 players participate
in the NFLE since 1996, including the likes of Masafumi Kawaguchi, Masato Itai, Nachi Abe and Noriaki Kinoshita, the path
to playing the game at the highest level is now severely obstructed. Kinoshita,
who was invited to training camp by the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday after being named to the All-NFLE team two straight years
as a special teams player, is a case in point. He is getting his shot to become the first Japanese to play in the NFL because
of the exposure he received while playing for the Amsterdam Admirals. From
this point on it is going to be very difficult for a Japanese player to go from a tryout camp straight into an NFL training
camp and on to a team roster. With the NFLE there was the chance that a player could develop with game experience —
like Kinoshita did — against guys who were already in the NFL and someday have a chance to make it all the way. "It is disappointing that the NFL Europa folded before the essence of American
football, one of the greatest sports of the world, is understood in Europe," said Kawaguchi, who played seven seasons
for the Admirals, when contacted about the move. "The NFL Europa was one of the gateways for Japanese football players
advancing to the NFL." The NFLE, had it been organized and
run with proper commitment from the start, could have served two purposes — to provide fans in international markets
with their own teams, and develop talent from those countries who could play at home and maybe some day in the NFL. While the NFL won't be a part of realizing this vision, my feeling is that within
a year or two another group will try to bring American pro football to some major markets in Europe. Next time around it is imperative that the ownership be local, the goal be clear, and the message
not be convoluted. Those involved should love the game first, and have deep enough pockets to worry about the bottom line
a distant second. (The Japan Times Online: Sunday, July 8, 2007)
NFL Europa closesNational Football League The NFL has determined that it will switch the focus of its international business strategy to presenting
the NFL to the widest possible global audience, including broader media visibility and the staging of international regular-season
games, and will discontinue NFL Europa. "The time is right
to re-focus the NFL's strategy on initiatives with global impact, including worldwide media coverage of our sport and the
staging of live regular-season NFL games," commented Mark Waller, senior vice president of NFL International. "We will continue to build our international fan base by taking advantage of technology and
customized digital media that make the NFL more accessible on a global scale than ever before and through the regular-season
game experience. NFL Europa has created thousands of passionate fans who have supported that league and our sport for many
years and we look forward to building on this foundation as we begin this new phase of our international development." Last October, NFL owners passed a resolution to stage up to two international regular-season games
per season. The new international series will launch on Sunday, October 28 when the Miami Dolphins host the New York Giants at London's Wembley Stadium. In
addition to the 2007 game in the United Kingdom, the NFL is preparing to stage regular-season games in future seasons in Germany,
Mexico and Canada, with Germany being a strong candidate to host a regular-season NFL game in 2008. NFL Europa began in 1991 as the World League of American Football, with 10 teams competing in the
United States and Europe. After a two-year hiatus (1993-94) following the 1992 season, the league returned in 1995 as a six-team,
all-European venture, with five teams in Germany since 2005, and has existed in that format through its final season in 2007. www.nfl.com 2007 NFL Europa Results &
Standings | | | | | | | | WEEK 1 | | | | | | Saturday | 14
April 2007 | 18.00 uur | Cologne Centurions | @ | Hamburg Sea Devils | 24 | - | 18 | Saturday | 14 April 2007 | 19.00 uur | Amsterdam
Admirals | @ | Frankfurt Galaxy | 14 | - | 30 | Saturday | 14 April 2007 | 19.00 uur | Berlin
Thunder | @ | Rhein Fire | 15 | - | 3 | | | | | | | WEEK 2 | | | | | | Friday | 20 April 2007 | 20.00 uur | Rhein
Fire | @ | Amsterdam Admirals | 16 | - | 10 | Saturday | 21 April 2007 | 18.00 uur | Frankfurt
Galaxy | @ | Cologne Centurions | 18 | - | 13 | Sunday | 22 April 2007 | 16.00 uur | Hamburg
Sea Devils | @ | Berlin Thunder | 16 | - | 7 | | | | | | | WEEK 3 | | | | | | Saturday | 28 April 2007 | 18.00 uur | Amsterdam
Admirals | @ | Berlin Thunder | 14 | - | 10 | Saturday | 28 April 2007 | 19.00 uur | Hamburg
Sea Devils | @ | Frankfurt Galaxy | 17 | - | 20 | Saturday | 28 April 2007 | 19.00 uur | Cologne
Centurions | @ | Rhein Fire | 14 | - | 6 | | | | | | | WEEK 4 | | | | | | Saturday | 5 May 2007 | 18.00 uur | Berlin Thunder | @ | Cologne
Centurions | 31 | - | 28 | Sunday | 6 May 2007 | 15.00
uur | Frankfurt Galaxy | @ | Amsterdam Admirals | 17 | - | 19 | Sunday | 6
May 2007 | 16.00 uur | Rhein Fire | @ | Hamburg Sea Devils | 9 | - | 34 | | | | | | | WEEK 5 | | | | | | Saturday | 12 May 2007 | 18.00 uur | Amsterdam Admirals | @ | Hamburg
Sea Devils | 17 | - | 24 | Saturday | 12
May 2007 | 19.00 uur | Frankfurt Galaxy | @ | Rhein Fire | 24 | - | 27 | Sunday | 13 May 2007 | 16.00 uur | Cologne Centurions | @ | Berlin
Thunder | 24 | - | 10 | | | | | | | WEEK 6 | | | | | | Friday | 18 May 2007 | 20.00 uur | Hamburg Sea
Devils | @ | Amsterdam Admirals | 31 | - | 41 | Saturday | 19 May 2007 | 18.00 uur | Rhein Fire | @ | Cologne
Centurions | 17 | - | 20 | Sunday | 20
May 2007 | 17.00 uur | Berlin Thunder | @ | Frankfurt Galaxy | 7 | - | 35 | | | | | | | WEEK 7 | | | | | | Friday | 25 May 2007 | 20.00 uur | Cologne Centurions | @ | Amsterdam
Admirals | 30 | - | 7 | Saturday | 26
May 2007 | 18.00 uur | Berlin Thunder | @ | Hamburg Sea Devils | 7 | - | 17 | Saturday | 26 May 2007 | 19.00 uur | Rhein Fire | @ | Frankfurt
Galaxy | 10 | - | 23 | | | | | | | WEEK 8 | | | | | | Saturday | 2 June 2007 | 18.00 uur | Frankfurt Galaxy | @ | Berlin
Thunder | 25 | - | 22 | Saturday | 2
June 2007 | 18.00 uur | Hamburg Sea Devils | @ | Cologne Centurions | 21 | - | 7 | Sunday | 3 June 2007 | 16.00 uur | Amsterdam Admirals | @ | Rhein
Fire | 38 | - | 41 | | | | | | | WEEK 9 | | | | | | Friday | 8 June 2007 | 19.00 uur | Rhein Fire | @ | Berlin
Thunder | 24 | - | 17 | Saturday | 9
June 2007 | 18.00 uur | Amsterdam Admirals | @ | Cologne Centurions | 13 | - | 31 | Saturday | 9 June 2007 | 18.00 uur | Frankfurt Galaxy | @ | Hamburg
Sea Devils | 31 | - | 36 | | | | | | | WEEK 10 | | | | | | Friday | 15 June 2007 | 20.00 uur | Berlin
Thunder | @ | Amsterdam Admirals | 20 | - | 21 | Saturday | 16 June 2007 | 19.00 uur | Cologne
Centurions | @ | Frankfurt Galaxy | 14 | - | 31 | Saturday | 16 June 2007 | 19.00 uur | Hamburg
Sea Devils | @ | Rhein Fire | 17 | - | 13 | | | | | | | | | WORLD
BOWL | | COMMERZBANK ARENA FRANKFURT | | | | | | | | | | Saturday | 23
June 2007 | 18.00 uur | Frankfurt Galaxy | @ | Hamburg Sea Devils | 28 | - | 37 |
Stadiums The
following is a list of former NFL Europa stadiums. | Teams from NFL Europa's final season (2007) | | Team | Stadium | Years Used | Capacity | Opened | City |
|---|
| Amsterdam Admirals | Amsterdam ArenA | 1997-2007 | 51,859 | 1996 | Amsterdam, The Netherlands |
|---|
| Olympisch Stadion | 1995-1996,
one game in 2000,
one game in 2007 | 31,600 | 1928 | | Berlin Thunder | Olympiastadion | 2004-2007 | 76,000 | 1936 | Berlin, Germany |
|---|
| F. L. Jahn Sportpark | 1998-2003 | 19,500 | 1951 | | Cologne Centurions | RheinEnergieStadion | 2004-2007 | 50,374 | 1923 | Cologne, Germany |
|---|
| Frankfurt Galaxy | Commerzbank-Arena
Waldstadion (1925-2005) | 2005-2007
1995-2005 | 52,000 | 1925 | Frankfurt, Germany |
|---|
| Hamburg Sea Devils | HSH Nordbank Arena | 2005-2007 | 55,989 | 2000 | Hamburg, Germany |
|---|
| Rhein Fire | LTU Arena | 2005-2007 | 51,500 | 2004 | Düsseldorf, Germany |
|---|
Veltins-Arena
Arena AufSchalke (2001-2005) | 2003-2004 | 61,524 | 2001 | Gelsenkirchen, Germany | | Rheinstadion | 1995-2002 | 55,900 | 1926 | Düsseldorf, Germany | | Defunct Teams
| | Team | Stadium | Years Used | Capacity | Opened | City |
|---|
Barcelona Dragons
(1991-1992, 1995-2003) | Mini Estadi | 2001-2003 | 15,276 | 1982 | Barcelona, Spain |
|---|
| Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys | 1991-1992, 1995-2000 | 56,000 | 1929 | England Monarchs
(1998) | Crystal Palace National Sports Centre | 1998 | 15,500 | 1964 | London, England |
|---|
| Ashton Gate | 1998 (one game) | 21,500 | 1900 | Bristol, England | | Alexander Stadium | 1998 (one game) | 7,600 | 1976 | Birmingham, England | London Monarchs
(1991-1992, 1995-1997) | Stamford Bridge | 1996 (one game), 1997 | 42,449 | 1877 | London, England |
|---|
| White Hart Lane | 1995-1996 | 36,240 | 1899 | Wembley Stadium
Empire Stadium | 1991-1992 | 80,000 | 1923 | Scottish Claymores
(1995-2004) | Hampden Park | 1998-2000, 2002 (part time),
2001, 2003-2004 (full time) | 52,500 | 1903 | Glasgow, Scotland |
|---|
| Murrayfield Stadium | 1995-1997 (full time),
1998-2000 (part-time),
one game in 2002 | 67,500 | 1925 | Edinburgh, Scotland |
Television coverageAlthough
the last version of the NFL's developmental league had no U.S. teams, American television coverage continued until the end.
From 1995 to 1998, the primary TV carrier was FX, which carried two games a week, one on Saturday and the other on Sunday. From 1999
to 2004, Fox Sports Net showed a "game of the week" on Saturday, with DirecTV viewers receiving additional live games on channels that normally carried NFL Sunday Ticket. In 2005, NFL Network began showing all regular season games, either live or on tape delay, and this continued
until the league folded. From 1995 to 2005, Fox showed the World Bowl and two or three regular season games annually. In 2006 and
2007, NFL Network showed the title game. Announcers who called
NFL Europa games over the years included Curt Menefee, Nick Halling, Ari Wolfe, Troy Aikman, Daryl 'Moose' Johnston, Michael Reghi, and Brentson Buckner. Game broadcasts were
also available throughout Europe and in other territories throughout the world. EuroPass, an offshoot of FieldPass, broadcast Internet video of games, free of charge, in the league's later years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Europa
| Year | Games | Total | Average |
|---|
| World League | | 1991 | 50 | 1,268,066 | 25,361 | | 1992 | 50 | 1,210,817 | 24,216 | | 1993 | -- | -- | -- | | 1994 | -- | -- | -- | | 1995 | 30 | 436,853 | 14,562 | 1996 1997 | 30 30 | 516,171 546,433 | 17,206 18,214 | | NFL
Europe | | | | | | 1998 | 30 | 499,034 | 16,634 | | 1999 | 30 | 544,844 | 18,161 | | 2000 | 30 | 540,438 | 18,015 | | 2001 | 30 | 557,038 | 18,568 | | 2002 | 30 | 541,546 | 18,052 | | 2003 | 30 | 494,448 | 16,482 | | 2004 | 30 | 477,741 | 15,925 | | 2005 | 30 | 568,935 | 18,965 | | 2006 | 30 | 529,988 | 17,666 | | NFL
Europa | | 2007 | 30 | 600,600 | 20,020 | | 15 | 490 | 9,332,952 | 19,047 |
|---|
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