International professional gridiron football leagues

[Adios]

Don't know how many of you know, but DJ Hernandez went on to play for the Carinthian Black Lions in Austria. Here's a list of some leagues abroad for any of you who may be interested in seeing how this game is being globalized.

http://americanfootballeurope.com/

Elite Football League of India (starts play this year):
http://www.efli.com/

X League (Japan, founded in 1971):
http://www.xleague.com/

Their bowl game between the collegiate champion and the X League champion is actually called the "Rice Bowl"!

Korea American Football Association (founded 1945):
http://www.kafa.org/

Kraft Family Israel Football League (founded 2005):
http://www.ifl.co.il/

Liga Brasileira de Futebol Americano (founded 2010):
http://www.lbfa.com.br/

German Football League (founded 1979):
http://www.gfl.info/

Polish American Football League (founded 2006):
http://www.pzfa.pl/

Italian Football League (founded 2006):
http://www.ifleague.it/

British American Football Association (founded in 2010; it's predecessor was the BAFL, which was founded in 1987):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_American_Football_Association

They are having trouble keeping their official web site up.

Liga Nacional de Futbol Americano (Spain; founded in 1996):
http://www.aefaweb.com/

The best teams in Europe compete in the European Football League (founded in 1986):
http://www.eurobowl.info/

Gridiron Australia (founded 1996):
http://gridironaustralia.org.au/

For a general overall picture of how the game is gaining ground internationally:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_leagues_of_American_and_Canadian_football

Here's highlights from a football game of two teams in China sponsored by the NFL (the teams already were around):


Hope you all enjoyed! The enthusiasm for gridiron football is there, internationally. Personally, I think it has the potential to overtake old-school rugby football. The Elite Football League of India is backed by the government and is paying more than rugby football is paying and has investors who were ex-NFLers.

 

[whaler11]

Does GLOW have a website these days?

 

[Adios]

Does GLOW have a website these days?

Ironically, pro football started out comparable to GLOW in perception.

http://www.gorgeousladiesofwrestling.com/

GLOW came to an end 11 years ago. The NFL lasted 91 seasons so far.

 

[RioDog]

Thanks for the links Butchy. Here in Rio there's an amateur beach league http://www.fefarj.com.br . They play tackle! Interestingly one of my friends who is on the Brazilian Olympic Committee has told me that there is a big push to popularize rugby in Brazil. Certainly there is a dedicated (if small) following for American football here. Alot of my students watched the Superbowl and I've seen alot of Brady jerseys around town. On a side note I met an Israeli guy who owns a restaurant in Copa Cabana who follows UConn hoops because of the Nadev (sp?)and Shefer connection- UConn, and INTERNATIONAL brand!

 

[whaler11]

Ironically, pro football started out comparable to GLOW in perception.

http://www.gorgeousladiesofwrestling.com/

GLOW came to an end 11 years ago. The NFL lasted 91 seasons so far.

GLOW lasted until 2001? That's crazy.

 

[whaler11]

Thanks for the links Butchy. Here in Rio there's an amateur beach league http://www.fefarj.com.br . They play tackle! Interestingly one of my friends who is on the Brazilian Olympic Committee has told me that there is a big push to popularize rugby in Brazil. Certainly there is a dedicated (if small) following for American football here. Alot of my students watched the Superbowl and I've seen alot of Brady jerseys around town. On a side note I met an Israeli guy who owns a restaurant in Copa Cabana who follows UConn hoops because of the Nadev (sp?)and Shefer connection- UConn, and INTERNATIONAL brand!

I wonder why Tom Brady might be popular in Brazil......

 

[Adios]

You're welcome. I know of the beach football, but the Brazilians need to take it to the field, which they are now doing. Rugby is popular in Argentina right now. They made the rugby World Cup in New Zealand last year and played very well. Very good national squad.

Amazing there'd be a lot of Brady jerseys over there! Is that because of Gisele or because gridiron football is gaining popularity there? They must have enjoyed the Super Bowl. Was definitely one heck of a game.

UConn is definitely an international brand. We have two Germans on the men's bball team at the moment.

 

[RioDog]

I wonder why Tom Brady might be popular in Brazil......

Oh... right. Pop culture and celebrity lifestyles just aren't at the forefront of my thinking...

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Here's highlights from a football game of two teams in China sponsored by the NFL (the teams already were around): The enthusiasm for gridiron football is there, internationally. Personally, I think it has the potential to overtake old-school rugby football.

FWIW, overtaking enthusiasm for rugby in China won't take too much effort. Outside of HK, it's barely played beyond ex-pat beer leagues. Similarly, the so-called, NFL-sponsored Měiguó zú qiú (American football) league is precisely a beer league. Beyond some Chinese nationals that studied or worked in the States or Canada, very few (read: almost no) Chinese within China know about let alone play or even care about Yank football.

In the linked football video, I know a few of the guys. They are mostly ex-pats of marginal athletic skills, some laowai, ABCs and CBCs (foreign non-Chinese background, American and Canadian-born Chinese). Similar to the hockey league I played in, it's simply a sporting excuse for several beers and some travel around Asia. That said, jiayou Shanghai - they kicked Beijing around the field (35-7)!

With the exception of some top-level Chinese professional (CBA) basketball and soccer of not so great quality, pro team sports in China are little more than the American football beer league and other western-inspired/influenced sports. That doesn't mean some quality young athletes don't exist among China's 1.4 billion people, it's just not too likely any Chinese WRs, QBs, RBs, etc. will play BCS or NFL football any time soon.

 

[Adios]

FWIW, overtaking enthusiasm for rugby in China won't take too much effort. Outside of HK, it's barely played beyond ex-pat beer leagues. Similarly, the so-called, NFL-sponsored Měiguó zú qiú (American football) league is precisely a beer league. Beyond some Chinese nationals that studied or worked in the States or Canada, very few (read: almost no) Chinese within China know about let alone play or even care about Yank football.

I am sure the NFL and people associated with gridiron football would still love to help develop the pro sports market there, especially in gridiron football. Interesting that you say rugby would not be difficult to overtake. Not too surprised, either. I am aware that pro sports is still in it's infancy in China. But when you have 20% of the world's population, there has to be SOME good athletes somewhere! Pro sports is also still in it's infancy in India. Another 20% of the world's population.

 

[Rjc32563]

Also for those of you who may not know, 2 other former Huskies played in Europe last year. The were Alex Molina and Alex Polito. They both played for a team in Vieje(sp?) Denmark called the Triangle Razorbacks. They won the Danish championship in what is called the Mermaid Bowl. They both had such a great time that they signed contracts to go back and play for them again this year. Alex Molina has a hiarious blog of their experiences from last year I believe it called "the heart of a hog"
From talking to Alex M. while the quality of football is somewhat less then you'd find here. It's a great way for guys who are not going to be playing any longer here to play over there and see Europe on someone elses dime.

 

[Nostical]

I travel overseas on business and I can attest that in parts of Germany and Israel, I see a lot of UConn jerseys along with Mavericks, Celtic, Bulls etc. In sporting goods stores they are one of the few US College team shirts sold along with UNC, and Texas---but of course vastly outweighed by the soccer shirts.
True story. In Israel my wife wanted a picture next to one of the soldiers but I wanted her to hold the rifle. I heard a stern "No way". So I said "UConn Huskies". He said with a broad smile, "UConn Huskies? You are UConn Huskies?" He let her hold the gun.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

I am sure the NFL and people associated with gridiron football would still love to help develop the pro sports market there, especially in gridiron football. I am aware that pro sports is still in it's infancy in China. But when you have 20% of the world's population, there has to be SOME good athletes somewhere! Pro sports is also still in it's infancy in India. Another 20% of the world's population.

Yes, the NFL's smart enough to follow the NBA's and world soccer's pursuit of sports-interested eyes, RMB, Rupee, etc. As implied in the prior message, young, very athletic Chinese citizens obviously exist among the nation's 1.4 million people. While they don't play American football nor rugby, I saw a guy sporting a Dan Orlovsky a few years ago in Shanghai. He understood no English nor bad Mandarin, and it's unlikely he had any idea what his shirt represented.

Typically, the best young Chinese athletes play whichever sport they're targeted or recruited to participate in or play. However, LI Na's French Open tennis title last year and the success of some other east Asian golfers is generating related interest among some nouveau riche Chinese. In hopes of making their Emperor/Empress being a sporting success, or the parents flaunting that they've created or extracted wealth by various means, tennis and golf interest is growing.

With few exceptions, the best Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Sri Lankan athletes play cricket, cricket, and then more cricket. Throw in some squash, badminton, tennis, table tennis, and other racquet sports and a handful of golfers, futbol, and other sports.

 

[Adios]

It is incredibly weird that India and China don't have much of a pro sports scene, considering how old the civilizations are. Pro sports slowly began to develop here (baseball/rounders) and western Europe (soccer/futbol) about 150 years ago. FIFA actually credits China for inventing soccer now. India just started a pro cricket circuit very recently. It's all a matter of time before these two markets and some markets around them develop. South Korea and Japan have had pro baseball, at least, for a while. But the difference between those two countries and India and China is they were affluent while the latter two have not been. That's slowly changing. I wouldn't even be surprised if the KHL puts a franchise in Kabul.

 

[Adios]

Also for those of you who may not know, 2 other former Huskies played in Europe last year. The were Alex Molina and Alex Polito. They both played for a team in Vieje(sp?) Denmark called the Triangle Razorbacks. They won the Danish championship in what is called the Mermaid Bowl. They both had such a great time that they signed contracts to go back and play for them again this year. Alex Molina has a hiarious blog of their experiences from last year I believe it called "the heart of a hog"
From talking to Alex M. while the quality of football is somewhat less then you'd find here. It's a great way for guys who are not going to be playing any longer here to play over there and see Europe on someone elses dime.

North America (Mexico, Canada, and of course, the US) and Japan are still generally the world powers in gridiron football. But sure is interesting how interest in the game is picking up around the world. I see it as "space age rugby". Legend has it that rugby football was invented by accident. A game of soccer was being played at the Rugby School in England, someone caught a ball that was kicked, got scared, and started to run.

If this game takes off in India, it's here to stay. Here's a clip for fun. I have read about the Mermaid Bowl before.



Molina's blog:
http://heartofahog.razorbacks.dk/

Polito's blog:
http://theamericanrazorback.razorbacks.dk/

Couldn't they come up with a different logo rather than ripping off Arkansas?! That's the first time I've seen any gridiron football team rip off a logo from someone else.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

I wouldn't even be surprised if the KHL puts a franchise in Kabul.

In Korea and Japan, interest in baseball may have became popular due to some country's military presence. Similarly, the Russian KHL is sure to start a KHL hockey franchise in Kabul. Obviously, you've spent a lot of time in Kabul.

 

[Adios]

In Korea and Japan, interest in baseball may have became popular due to some country's military presence. Similarly, the Russian KHL is sure to start a KHL hockey franchise in Kabul. Obviously, you've spent a lot of time in Kabul.

Pakistan has a national ice hockey team.