Australian rules football in the United States
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| Australian rules football in the United States | |||
| Governing body | USAFL | ||
| National team | United States | ||
| Nickname(s) | Revolution | ||
| First played | Sept 28th 1996, Cincinnati | ||
| Registered players | 2,000 (total) 2,000 (adult) |
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| Clubs | 28 | ||
| Competitions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| National | |||
| - USAFL | |||
| Club | |||
| - Mid American Australian Football League | |||
| - North West Pacific Australian Football League | |||
| - Eastern Australian Football League | |||
| - Golden Gate Australian Football League | |||
| Audience records | |||
| Single match | 14,787 (1990). Melbourne v. West Coast (Civic Stadium, Portland) | ||
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Australian rules football in the United States is a team and spectator sport which does not have a long history in the United States, but it has grown explosively as a participation sport in all parts of the country since 1996.
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[edit] History
A lack of exposure and the popularity of American Football in the states ensured that the game of Australian Football remained virtually unknown in the United States for many decades.
[edit] Emergence from obscurity
In 1947, games of Austus, a compromise game between Gridiron and Aussie rules were played in Australia between servicemen of both countries in the Australian city of Geelong. The visiting Americans were reported to be excited by the Australian game.
[edit] Exhibition matches
From the 1960s, several attempts were made to kickstart Aussie Rules interest in the United States. Between the 1960 and 1990s, Victorian Football League exhibition matches were played in major US cities. With each game, the crowds and interest gradually grew.
| Year | League | Stadium | Teams | Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | San Francisco, California | Geelong Cats v. Melbourne Demons | 3,500 | |
| 1988 | Miami, Florida | Joe Robbie Stadium | Collingwood Magpies v. Geelong Cats | 7,500 |
| 1989 | Miami, Florida | Joe Robbie Stadium | Essendon Bombers v. Hawthorn Hawks | 10,069 |
| 1990 | Portland, Oregon | Civic Stadium | Melbourne Demons v. West Coast Eagles | 14,787 |
| 2006 | Los Angeles, California | Intramural Field, UCLA | Kangaroos v. Sydney Swans | 3,200 (capacity, sell-out) |
In 1965, former Victorian Football League player Colin Ridgeway was recruited by the Dallas Cowboys and played a total of 3 games as a punter. Although he became the first Australian to make such a transition but did not have much impact in the NFL.
[edit] 1980s - television & ESPN
Television was the biggest breakthrough for Aussie Rules Footy in the United States. In the 1980s, sports channel ESPN began televising Australian Rules matches. For many it was the first time they had seen or heard of the sport and it immediately grew a cult following.
The first American born player in the AFL, Don Pyke (who moved to Western Australia in his youth) began to make an appearance for the West Coast Eagles.
[edit] 1990s - punt into America
In 1995, Darren Bennett - former Melbourne Football Club player was recruited by the San Diego Chargers. He went on to become one of the most successful punters in the history of the NFL. His popularity as an ex-Australian also considerably increased the awareness of Australian Rules in the US. Since Bennett, other Aussie Rules players have followed, having a small effect of exposing the Australian game to Americans.
[edit] First local games
The first match between two local US clubs was played in 1996 between Cincinnati and Louisville.[1] In the first year the Mid American Australian Football League was formed. Many of the local players had found out about the game in the 1980s on television and ESPN. Although the local game grew, ESPN no longer broadcast AFL matches, and in response the lobby group, AFANA was formed.
In 1997, the first club national championships were held in Cincinnati. Nashville hosted the first Australian Grand Final Festival in the same year. The United States Australian Football League (USAFL) was formed in 1997 to govern the code in the country.
[edit] New millennium - international representation and steady growth
A national team, the Revolution, formed in 1999 to compete against nearby Canada in the 49th Parallel Cup.
In the same year, a record crowd of 1,000 attended an MAAFL match between the Nashville Kangaroos and Chicago Swans at Nashville in Tennessee.
In 2001, the first college Aussie Rules club began in Vanderbilt University. In the following years, several new clubs emerged in universities across the state, many of them affiliated with USAFL clubs.
The Revolution competed in the 2002 Australian Football International Cup with an All-American side and finished fifth out of eleven countries .
In 2002, the Australian Football League began to recognise the potential of the USA as a nursery for potential and began providing a small amount of international funding to the USAFL. An offshoot was the US Footy Kids junior program, with strong similarities to AFL Auskick.
In 2005, the Revolution attended the 2005 International Cup finishing finishing third out of ten countries. The first College Invitational was held, hosted by Vanderbilt University and won by the University of North Carolina Australian Rules Football Club.
In 2005, the USAFL struck a deal with the ASTN television station for rights to the game, however although the station has filmed local matches, they have not been televised.
In January 2006, a sell-out AFL promotional pre-season match was played in Los Angeles at UCLA between the Kangaroos and league premiers the Sydney Swans.
[edit] Governing Body
The governing body for Aussie Rules in the United States is US Footy.
[edit] National Team
The national team is the Revolution.
[edit] Major Tournaments
- 49th Parallel Cup
- Australian Football International Cup
- Bermuda Australian rules football Championships
- Barassi International Australian Football Youth Tournament
[edit] Domestic Representative Tournaments
- USAFL National Championships
- USAFL East vs West
- National Collegiate Invitational 2005 National Collegiate Invitational Website
[edit] Participation
In 2004, there were 855 senior players in 38 active clubs.[2] By 2006, the league had grown, with many more local Metro Footy leagues and 9-a-side teams consisting of around 2,000 players and around 60% American.[3]
[edit] Leagues
MENS
WOMENS
- See also Metro Footy Leagues
[edit] Former Leagues
- Many of the CAFL's clubs and former players still compete, either in the SCAFL or GGAFL. The SEAFL and NEAFL formed the EAFL.
- Californian Australian Football League
- South East Australian Football League
- North East Australian Football League
[edit] Aussie rules in U.S. schools
[edit] College Aussie rules
- Arizona State University Australian rules football Club
- Belmont University Australian rules football Club
- Middle Tennessee State University Australian rules football Club
- North Carolina State University Australian rules football Club Official Site
- Ohio State University Australian rules football Club
- University of North Carolina Australian Rules Football Club [2]
- University Of Missouri Australian rules football Club
- University of South Florida Australian rules football Club Official Site
- University of Texas Australian rules football Club Official Site
- University Of Wisconsin Australian rules football Club Official Site
- Vanderbilt University Australian rules football Club Official Site
[edit] High school Aussie rules
- Las Lomas High School
[edit] Unaffiliated Senior Clubs
Many clubs have not yet participated in one of the major leagues, or are yet to have enough numbers to form local Metro Footy leagues and are actively looking for new players.
| City | State | Club Name | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seguin | Texas | Seguin Bombers Australian Football Club | Official Site |
[edit] Formation senior clubs
As yet, not all geographical regions in the US are by clubs. Many clubs, in the formative stages are looking for players in order to compete in the USAFL National Championships or field Metro leagues. The advent of the Internet has greatly facilitated the growth of the sport in the United States.
| Cities | State | Club Name | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | North Carolina | ||
| Columbus | Ohio | Columbus Light Horse Australian rules football Club | [3] |
| Rhode Island/Connecticut | [4] | ||
| Billings | Montana | Billings Bulldogs |
[edit] Audience
[edit] Television
Since 2006, due to growing demand and lobbying by the AFANA, Aussie Rules began playing live matches on television in the United States. Australian rules has a nominal but growing international audience. According to Roy Morgan Polls 7,496,000 North Americans watch Australian Rules Football at least occasionally on television.[4] This number is twice as many as watch the sport on television in Australia, but tiny by US standards.
- USAFL - All Sports Television Network (ASTN)
- AFL - Setanta Sports (STS), MHz Networks
[edit] Attendance Records
[edit] Local Competition
- 1,000 (2004). (Mid American Australian Football League). Nashville Kangaroos vs Chicago Swans - Nashville, Tennessee. (source MAAFL)
[edit] Exhibition Matches
- 14,787 (1990). Melbourne v. West Coast (Civic Stadium, Portland)
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ MAAFL League History
- ^ World Footy Census 2004 - North America
- ^ [1]
- ^ Globalisation of Sport Report 2005
[edit] External Links
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Clubs in the United States Australian Football League |
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| US Footy Representative Clubs |
Arizona | Atlanta | Austin Crows | Baltimore Washington | Bakersfield | Baton Rouge | Boston | Buffalo | Cincinnati | Chicago | Colorado Springs | Dallas | Denver | Detroit | Florida | Fort Lauderdale | Golden Gate | Green Mountain | Illinois | Inland Empire | Kansas City | Las Vegas | Lehigh Valley | Louisville | Los Angeles | Milwaukee | Minnesota | Mojave | Nashville | New York | North Carolina | Orange County | Philadelphia | Pheonix | Pittsburgh | Portland | Rocky Mountain | Salt Lake City | San Diego | Santa Cruz | Seattle | South Carolina | St. Louis | Tucson | Vermont |
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Australian rules football in the United States |
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| Governing Body | |
| Promotional Body | |
| National Team | |
| Major Domestic Representative Competitions | |
| Major Leagues | |
| Metro Footy Leagues |
Arizona | Atlanta | Baltimore Washington | Chicago | Dallas | Denver | Florida | Fort Irwin | Golden Gate | Kansas City | Milwaukee | Nashville | New England | New York | North Carolina | Portland | San Diego | Seattle | Southern California | Southwestern Ontario | Texas | Western Pennsylvania |
| Women's Leagues | |
| Countries playing Australian rules football |
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Oceania |
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Asia & Middle East |
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Europe |
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Africa |
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Americas |
