United States Australian Football League
 | |
| Sport | Australian rules football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1996 |
| Inaugural season | 1997[1][2] |
| No. of teams | 37 (men's) and 13 (women's)[1] |
| Country | USA |
| Most recent champion(s) |
New York Magpies (2nd premiership) |
| Most titles |
Denver Bulldogs (8 premierships) |
| Official website |
www |
The United States Australian Football League (USAFL) is a governing body for Australian rules football in the United States. It was conceived in 1996 and organized in 1997. It is based in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.
In 2011, there were 10,000 registered players.[2] There are 37 men's teams and 13 women's teams.[1]
History
The first match between two local US clubs was played in 1996 between Cincinnati and Louisville.[3] 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.
The involvement of many well-known Australians has helped boost the relations between the USAFL and AFL. In the early days, Paul Roos was a key figure.
Robert DiPierdomenico, Leigh Matthews and Michael Voss are official USAFL ambassadors.
National teams
USAFL is responsible for the co-ordination of the National Teams, the USA Revolution men's team and the USA Freedom women's team. The team plays in international tournaments and exhibition matches against other countries. National team players are selected from the best US-born players from the club teams across the country.
With close proximity to Canada, the Revolution & Freedom participate in the annual 49th Parallel Cup against Canada each year except for years of the International Cup in Australia.
The Revolution competed in the 2002 Australian Football International Cup, finishing 5th out of 11 countries and in the 2005 Australian Football International Cup finishing 3rd out of 10 countries. They competed in the 2008 Australian Football International Cup where the Revolution finished 7th out of 16 countries.
Domestic tournaments and competitions
About half of the players of the New York Magpies team are Australian.[4]
List of USAFL National Championship Premiers
| Teams | Premiers | Runner Up | Total | Year(s) won | Year(s) lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Bulldogs | 8 | 2 | 10 | 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011 | 2006, 2010 |
| San Diego Lions | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2001, 2006 | 2000, 2002, 2007 |
| Boston Demons | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1998, 1999 | 2001, 2003 |
| New York Magpies | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2010, 2014 | 2004, 2012 |
| Cincinnati Dockers | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1997 | — |
| Vancouver Cougars | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2008 | — |
| Austin Crows | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2013 | — |
USAFL clubs and representative sides
Former clubs
| Club | City | Founded | Official website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Overdrive | Detroit, Michigan | ||
| Illinois Ironmen | Naperville, Illinois | ||
| Inland Empire Eagles/Fire | Riverside, California | ||
| Lehigh Valley Crocs | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | ||
| Los Angeles Crows | Pasadena, California | ||
| Mojave Greens | Fort Irwin, California | ||
| Phoenix Scorpions | Phoenix, Arizona | ||
| Pittsburgh Wallabies | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | ||
| South Carolina Hawks | Charleston, South Carolina | ||
| Tri-Cities Saints | Bristol, Tennessee | ||
| Tucson Javelinas | Tucson, Arizona | ||
Affiliated leagues
- Mid American Australian Football League
- Eastern Australian Football League
- North West Pacific Australian Football League
- Californian Australian Football League
See also
- Australian rules football
- Australian rules football in the United States
- Metro Footy
- Women's Australian Football Association
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Australian football makes inroads in Baltimore one bounce, kick and bump at a time". The Baltimore Sun. 26 July 2014.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Aussie rules tackling the USA". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 September 2011.
- ↑ MAAFL League History
- ↑ "It's a Different Kind of Football". The Wall Street Journal. 15 July 2010.
External links
- Official website
- United States Australian Football League on Twitter
- United States Australian Football League on Facebook
- US Footy News
- Fox Sports World Video
- World Footy News
- ESPN aired this segment for Australian TV
- Stateside Footy TV Cable Access program produced at WCTV in Wilmington, Massachusetts, featuring Australian Rules Football played in the United States
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