NFL Europe - Definition and Overview

NFL Europe was originally founded in the spring of 1991 as the World League of American Football. The original WLAF was an American football league partially backed by the National Football League and, like the current NFL Europe, was a spring developmental league. Originally, the ancestor to NFL Europe had 10 teams: six American teams, three European teams, and one Canadian team. The top two teams in the World League of American Football met at the end of the season in the World Bowl.

The original WLAF was less than popular in the United States, and only marginally more so in Europe, and suspended operations in 1993 prior to the season. However, the National Football League still liked the idea of a spring developmental league, and after revamping itself into an exclusively European circuit, the World League was formed. World League, re-launched in 1995, consisted of 6 European teams, 4 of which are members of the present-day NFL Europe, although one team has moved from its original city. In 1998, the World League changed its name to NFL Europe. The London Monarchs moved to Berlin in 1999, becoming the Berlin Thunder. The one original team that no longer exists is the Barcelona Dragons. In 2002, the team became an official section of FC Barcelona, adopting the name FC Barcelona Dragons, but folded after the 2003 season when Barça dropped its sponsorship. A new German franchise, the Cologne Centurions, took the Dragons' place in the league in 2004. On October 21st, 2004 NFL Europe announced that the Scottish Claymores would not take part in the 2005 season, with their replacements (Hamburg Sea Devils) being unveiled in November 2004. With this change, presently five of the six teams are from Germany, with one from the Netherlands. German teams have also won all Championships since 1998. While the sport of American football is relatively new to Europe, the apparent popularity of the league and the sport in Germany is, at this point, undeniable.

Players in NFL Europe are predominantly assigned by NFL teams who want these younger, "developmental" players to get additional game experience and coaching. The expenses of these players and their coaches while living in Europe are assumed by the league.

Rules unique to NFL Europe included assigning increasing point value to field goals based on length, and a requirement that at least one player of European extraction participate in at least every other series of downs.

Teams

World League of American Football (1991-1992)

U.S.

• Birmingham Fire
• New York/New Jersey Knights
• Ohio Glory [Columbus] (1992)
• Orlando Thunder
• Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks (1991)
• Sacramento Surge
• San Antonio Riders

Canada

• Montreal Machine

Europe

• Barcelona Dragons
• Frankfurt Galaxy
• London Monarchs

NFL Europe (1995-present)

Current teams

• Amsterdam Admirals
• Berlin Thunder
• Cologne Centurions
• Frankfurt Galaxy
• Hamburg Sea Devils
• Rhein Fire

Former teams

• Scottish Claymores [Glasgow] (1995-2004)
• Barcelona Dragons (1995-2001 as Barcelona Dragons; known as FC Barcelona Dragons in 2002-2003 while affiliated with FC Barcelona)
• London Monarchs (1995-1998)

NOTE: In 1998, the London Monarchs were known as the England Monarchs. Also, although the Glasgow-based franchise was called Scotland in box scores, its official name was Scottish Claymores. See List of leagues of American football

External link:

• NFL Europe website: http://www.nfleurope.com
• Private Page about the original WLAF: http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/1871/