Such great memories, great documentary. Ironically First Down ceased publication the same year as the NFL International series started, and NFL Europe ended. Sad times but equally exciting to get regular season games on our shores every year. Love it and always will.
I attended several Birmingham Fire games in Legion Field. Never paid a cent to get in, which was nice. There were always people outside the stadium giving away tickets. Loved the whole league and was very sad when it moved away to Europe and ended.
Had there been a year 3 of the WLAF, Washington was supposed to get a expansion team called the Renagades. The team did not materalize, but the owner Jim Speros, got a CFL Franchise for Baltimore instead.
Well the gfl actually exists. It is the club based amateur football league in Germany. But since last year with the European league of Football old NFL Europe teams are back (Galaxy, centurions, seadevils, Dragon, Rhein Fire). It is semi pro for now, but growing extremely fast
That said, rugby has had a successful “Super Rugby” competition, with Australian, New Zealand and South African franchises. That’s a huge geographic spread (almost 7,000 miles between Cape Town and .Christchurch), but extended road trips and longer home stands eased the travel demands.
I wonder whether something like this could work today. The NFL games played in the UK are almost always sellouts. The question is whether American football would work as a regular thing in the UK and not just as a once a year attraction?
It would be way smarter if the NFL, instead of trying to move a team to London, redid the NFL Europe on a small scale. If anything it would get the ball rolling. You already have the London connection. Germany is still pretty into football. Bring back 3 other teams, do a short spring season and see how it looks.
@@patricklawton8135 You could do more but I wouldn't do more than 8. Germany you could give 3 prob max, UK you could feasibly bring back the Claymores. Amsterdam, Barcelona, there's the league.
Man I always thought that a London NFL team was a terrible idea. Just the logistics alone are ridiculous. The NFL London Series is just fine, if anything needs scaled back. But a permanent team? No way.
NFL Germany must return! the german franchises were the only ones where the audiences increased constantly. Today with all the nfl hype it would be much more. Bring back the 5 teams and move Admirals to Munich and call them Monarchs. Pleeze!
The only reason I knew about this league was from 1991 Pro Set Football cards. They did a lot to promote this league. Later as NFL Europe, these games aired on TBS, and the like. I couldn't watch more than five minutes. They never got the talent or fan support to keep it going.
If they bring it back ever they should relegate the worst team with the winner of the world bowl. That would keep it from being a thievery of their good players. Unfortunately I think my Browns would be in the World league pretty regularly 😂
Trans-Atlantic league will always struggle. I would love to see a new world league that could have a European Conference and US Conference. Especially if it included Berlin Thunder.
There is a league now it was founded a year ago and even though its small its growing. Its called the elf europeqn league of football and even though the atendence isnt as high as it used to they are getting there
NFL absolutely blew it when they closed down NFL Europe. What a waste. By this point, they would probably have something as healthy and thriving as MLS is in America. The owners don't really care about the good of the game of football, though, just the good of their pocketbook. They didn't want new teams thriving on the money they could earn in various European cities. What they wanted was a public that they could milk for their own teams. That's why they went with the regular season games in London over a thriving group of German teams. Short-sighted and small-minded. How much better would it be if there were a whole league full of European teams that could one day stand toe-to-toe with teams like the Cowboys and the Steelers, maybe even have a true World Champion, where the Super Bowl champ meets the World Bowl champ. Could be so much more interesting and worthwhile than seeing some game where teams from America play each other on a field in London. I guess if you're happy with crumbs, then you're happy with crumbs. Maybe the ELF will get there eventually.
The WLAF was better than NFL Europe by a mile! They had a National TV Deal, Innovative and exciting rules/gameplay, if this type of League started up today if would be a welcomed addition to the Football Landscape.
One main problem that NFL did in Europe was that it never developed home grown European players to play in the NFL. Sure it developed NFL stars, but they were Americans European cities should hitch their wagons to the CFL. It is more exciting than the boring NFL with it's fair catches, touchbacks and shorter field dimensions. The CFL are going global. The CFL has a national ratio rule where each CFL team must carry 21 nationals. Meaning that Europeans can play in the CFL game, The NFL will never allow Europeans to play in it's game. Watch a CFL game and you'll get hooked
@@zaco21_ Why? You got a problem with the CFL? Don't live in ignorance and get fooled by the hype of the NFL propaganda machine. CFL is far better than the boring No Fun League
@@davidbuswa9425 I don’t understand why u would rather watch a CFL Game over an NFL game? How am I Bieng ignorant when ur out here saying total bullshit about how bad the NFL apparently is, pull ur head in cos ur just jealous the NFL Don’t give 2 shits about Canada. Nobody has ever heard of the CFL Anyway, it’s just a Ripoff of the Game
@@zaco21_ I’m not sure that you are aware that Canadian Football (I.e. throwing the ball, running with the ball in your hands was “invented” by Canadians in the early 1900’s . Kind of a differentiation of Rugby. American Professional Football only emerged in the 1960’s if I’m not mistaken.
They just didnt planned it out very well. Because they were so heavily focused on Cities by population size instead of the intereste in american football in certain countries
Honestly I think it's because if the NFL ever does have an international franchise, it would most likely be London. Between the size of the city and English being the language, it would make sense.
Great memories and great that we were a part of it , we had no Team in Austria but we had our Team rheinfire in Düsseldorf abd all our Community in good old europe Always love our NFLE with the Vikingsfire Fan Community in Vienna ♥️🔥♥️🇦🇹🎡
Anyone else remember USA Network’s “helmet cam” they promoted all the time for their WLAF coverage?
Such great memories, great documentary. Ironically First Down ceased publication the same year as the NFL International series started, and NFL Europe ended. Sad times but equally exciting to get regular season games on our shores every year. Love it and always will.
I attended several Birmingham Fire games in Legion Field. Never paid a cent to get in, which was nice. There were always people outside the stadium giving away tickets. Loved the whole league and was very sad when it moved away to Europe and ended.
Only the real remember this era
Great, great memories being brought back. Breakfast with Brian Baldinger, discussions with Coach Reinebold and so on. Long live Rhein Fire.
Had there been a year 3 of the WLAF, Washington was supposed to get a expansion team called the Renagades. The team did not materalize, but the owner Jim Speros, got a CFL Franchise for Baltimore instead.
And now they are the alouettes
@@wJackoafter the Ravens pushed out the Stallions
And now it came back with the ELF, love to watch the games 🏈🔥
Me too! GO GALAXY!!!
@@purpleorange7430touchdown 1,2,3 Frankfurt galaxy
I wish the nfl can bring back the world league
This is awesome!
I enjoyed watching the games, especially the ones involving German teams. They should have added a few more and called it the GFL.
Well the gfl actually exists. It is the club based amateur football league in Germany.
But since last year with the European league of Football old NFL Europe teams are back (Galaxy, centurions, seadevils, Dragon, Rhein Fire). It is semi pro for now, but growing extremely fast
Towards the end there it was pretty much NFL Germany
They have the European League of Football and the ELF bought the names of some of the NFL Eurpore teams, its broadcast here on NLSE.
I don’t remember this happening back then. Thought it was later. Never followed it.
A transatlantic sports league was never going to logistically work, the league should have been European only from the start
That said, rugby has had a successful “Super Rugby” competition, with Australian, New Zealand and South African franchises. That’s a huge geographic spread (almost 7,000 miles between Cape Town and .Christchurch), but extended road trips and longer home stands eased the travel demands.
I wonder whether something like this could work today. The NFL games played in the UK are almost always sellouts.
The question is whether American football would work as a regular thing in the UK and not just as a once a year attraction?
Check out ELF
I miss the Amsterdam Admirals.
4 point field goal!!!!! 50 yards or more!
It would be way smarter if the NFL, instead of trying to move a team to London, redid the NFL Europe on a small scale. If anything it would get the ball rolling. You already have the London connection. Germany is still pretty into football. Bring back 3 other teams, do a short spring season and see how it looks.
A 5 team league. That's an exhibition not a pro or even semi pro league
@@patricklawton8135 You could do more but I wouldn't do more than 8. Germany you could give 3 prob max, UK you could feasibly bring back the Claymores. Amsterdam, Barcelona, there's the league.
Man I always thought that a London NFL team was a terrible idea. Just the logistics alone are ridiculous. The NFL London Series is just fine, if anything needs scaled back. But a permanent team? No way.
Get 16 teams
Welcome back! ELF IS GOING TO START
Rhein Fire is BACK!
7:22
NFL Germany must return! the german franchises were the only ones where the audiences increased constantly. Today with all the nfl hype it would be much more. Bring back the 5 teams and move Admirals to Munich and call them Monarchs. Pleeze!
There's professional football in Germany though. It's just not televised
@@idkman861 well, can't really call it professional if most players aren't paid
Found this channel great video I just subbed
NFL Europe stated after World League of American Football .
The only reason I knew about this league was from 1991 Pro Set Football cards. They did a lot to promote this league. Later as NFL Europe, these games aired on TBS, and the like. I couldn't watch more than five minutes. They never got the talent or fan support to keep it going.
I think I still have those cards
This for me is the reason why the UK doesn't need a nfl franchise
If they bring it back ever they should relegate the worst team with the winner of the world bowl. That would keep it from being a thievery of their good players. Unfortunately I think my Browns would be in the World league pretty regularly 😂
Nah, we'd be fine.... Positive thinking and all that! Lol
Trans-Atlantic league will always struggle. I would love to see a new world league that could have a European Conference and US Conference. Especially if it included Berlin Thunder.
There is a league now it was founded a year ago and even though its small its growing. Its called the elf europeqn league of football and even though the atendence isnt as high as it used to they are getting there
Yes post there gamees like to see them
If the nfl bring a london team call them the london monarchs ❤
I think the NFL should have a minor league farm system. I can see cities in the US that could make good markets.
Probleme is that the sport is too expensive for minor leagues to survive, Hence only universities or major leagues exist
It's called the NCAA.
NFL absolutely blew it when they closed down NFL Europe. What a waste. By this point, they would probably have something as healthy and thriving as MLS is in America. The owners don't really care about the good of the game of football, though, just the good of their pocketbook. They didn't want new teams thriving on the money they could earn in various European cities. What they wanted was a public that they could milk for their own teams. That's why they went with the regular season games in London over a thriving group of German teams. Short-sighted and small-minded. How much better would it be if there were a whole league full of European teams that could one day stand toe-to-toe with teams like the Cowboys and the Steelers, maybe even have a true World Champion, where the Super Bowl champ meets the World Bowl champ. Could be so much more interesting and worthwhile than seeing some game where teams from America play each other on a field in London. I guess if you're happy with crumbs, then you're happy with crumbs. Maybe the ELF will get there eventually.
The Galaxy's first trip to the United States was to San Antonio, not Columbus.
Is it true that the NFL would rather forget about this league(NFL Europe)because it ended in failure after two decades?
A player like Keyarris Garrett could have used this league still being around
The WLAF was better than NFL Europe by a mile! They had a National TV Deal, Innovative and exciting rules/gameplay, if this type of League started up today if would be a welcomed addition to the Football Landscape.
I don’t take kindly to the exploitation of nonhuman beings, elephants in this case.
Put a team in Frankfurt
One main problem that NFL did in Europe was that it never developed home grown European players to play in the NFL. Sure it developed NFL stars, but they were Americans
European cities should hitch their wagons to the CFL. It is more exciting than the boring NFL with it's fair catches, touchbacks and shorter field dimensions. The CFL are going global. The CFL has a national ratio rule where each CFL team must carry 21 nationals. Meaning that Europeans can play in the CFL game, The NFL will never allow Europeans to play in it's game. Watch a CFL game and you'll get hooked
U really prefer the CFL then the NFL? I’m done 😂
@@zaco21_ Why? You got a problem with the CFL? Don't live in ignorance and get fooled by the hype of the NFL propaganda machine. CFL is far better than the boring No Fun League
@@davidbuswa9425 I don’t understand why u would rather watch a CFL Game over an NFL game? How am I Bieng ignorant when ur out here saying total bullshit about how bad the NFL apparently is, pull ur head in cos ur just jealous the NFL Don’t give 2 shits about Canada. Nobody has ever heard of the CFL Anyway, it’s just a Ripoff of the Game
@@zaco21_ I’m not sure that you are aware that Canadian Football (I.e. throwing the ball, running with the ball in your hands was “invented” by Canadians in the early 1900’s . Kind of a differentiation of Rugby. American Professional Football only emerged in the 1960’s if I’m not mistaken.
@@kenjones9314 American football has been around since the 1800’s. Yale and Harvard used to play a big game every year.
Why didn’t or don’t they play games in other cities in Europe that had nfl Europe teams other than London but London is still great
They just didnt planned it out very well. Because they were so heavily focused on Cities by population size instead of the intereste in american football in certain countries
Honestly I think it's because if the NFL ever does have an international franchise, it would most likely be London. Between the size of the city and English being the language, it would make sense.
Great memories and great that we were a part of it , we had no Team in Austria but we had our Team rheinfire in Düsseldorf abd all our Community in good old europe
Always love our NFLE with the Vikingsfire Fan Community in Vienna ♥️🔥♥️🇦🇹🎡
What are the Vienna Vikings games in the new ELF like?
STEELERS MAKE IT TOUGH by APOLOGETIX a great football song