Close, but not close enough

Article by Alex Underwood

The GFL kicked off on Saturday with 2,400 spectators witnessing German bowl finalists, the Schwabisch Hall Unicorns host new boys, the Frankfurt Universe.  In the first quarter Frankfurt started badly making various mistakes on offence including two turnovers. The shaky start allowed the U’s to take a two score lead thanks to passes from Marco Ehrenfried to Tyler Rutenbeck and Patrick Donahue; both extra points were good for the 14-0 lead.

The second quarter provided a role reversal with a host of penalty’s by the Unicorns. Meanwhile Frankfurt’s offence began to click and was rewarded with a touchdown pass from Marcus McDade to George Robinson.  Rene Moll’s successful PAT making the score 14-7. Just before the end of the half the Universe were back on the board thanks to another pass from McDade, this time to Nathaniel Robitaille, however the extra point was wide making the halftime score 14-13   

In the second half Robitaille scored his second for the Universe, a two point conversion by Moll was successful and put the Universe up 21-14. At this point the U’s offence and defence looked to be breaking until former youth player, 19 year old Henry Ly, playing his first competitive GFL game, recovered a fumble in excellent field position. Shortly afterward Patrick Donahue burst through the line, but with the extra point missed, the quarter ended with Frankfurt having one point lead.

In the final period it was Henry Ly’s second time to shine with another recovery. The U’s capitalised with a one yard TD run by Danny Washington. Despite a desperate comeback time was not on the Universe side and with the U’s regaining possession, Frankfurt had to watch the U’s run out the clock for the 26-21 win

This weekend sees the opening game in the north with the Hamburg Huskies hosting the New Yorker Braunschweig Lions on Saturday. The action continues Sunday with the Dresden Monarchs hosting the Berlin Rebels in the north, and the Rhein-Necker Bandits traveling to Marburg to face the Mercenaries.

The NFL: Could it? Should it? Will it?

Article by Alex Underwood

The number 000772541 probably means nothing to virtually anyone, but it does to NFL Properties. The 9 numbers are the Trademark reference for the NFL Europe for which the NFL controls until at least 2018.

When the door slammed shut on the league in 2007 in favour of the International Series the intention was for the series to be extended across the globe and into mainland Europe. The problem with this plan is there are simply too many Cities for such few games, and the number of games the league can send has probably reached its limit. For London the games success has cemented its place in the NFL calendar and reducing the number of games in London would be a public relations nightmare in the UK. So how can the NFL pull the rest of the continent into the party? In Germany the Frankfurt Galaxy is back on the football landscape in the GFL thanks to the “generosity” of the NFL. In reality it’s a good way of seeing the brands long term appeal, but other than that is a small statement of little significance unless you are a fan in Frankfurt.

The NFL failed in Europe for various reasons but the big problem was poor management, bad image and lost revenue. The league got to a point where it was disliked by the bulk of European football fans, especially in Scotland where a successful team (the Claymores) were axed and shipped to Germany. Even in Germany where top teams flourished there was discontent, Robert Huber of the German governing body AFVD commented “We opened some bottles of champagne, said hooray they are gone, and then we stepped in the gap they left and rebuilt our whole organization”. The NFLE caused massive problems in Germany with a drop in participation, teams and attendance in the domestic leagues. Furthermore the GFL’s Hamburg Blue Devils, had to compete with the NFLE Hamburg Sea Devils and lost. The result left the Devils broken and their time in the German top flight over, probably for good. So if the NFL’s next European adventure is a fresh look at NFL Europe, it would have to be done very differently.

The very first mistake to avoid it timing, any new league would have to avoid the existing domestic leagues in Europe. Not adhering to this will instantly cause issues. If the NFLE returned it would either have to avoid Spring altogether, or communicate with European leagues so it would “fit in”. With the EFAF gone that challenge becomes tricky and getting the IFAF and the GFL together to solve timing is a whole new issue.

If timing was solved the next issue that would need addressing is image and money! The league would need to start small and relatively cheap (for example small stadiums) and then build the brand so it fits in with demand, as the saying goes “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. The boost in popularity within Europe would gain sponsors and attractive TV deals and providing expenses can be kept small the league would have a chance to break even. If it worked the bad feeling from many fans would eventually solve itself.

So where would they target? Without sounding biased the Monarchs could return successfully and the Claymores (with their fantastic fans) would be awesome. When I read American Football’s forgotten Kings: the rise and fall of the London Monarchs by Alex Cassidy it re ignited my belief in the Monarchs brand and the memories that go with it. It’s a book I would recommend to anyone, simply to inforce what we could have in Europe if it was developed correctly. Other targets would of course be Germany, Austria, and possibly France. 

I’d like to finish on the finance of the NFL since the NFLE disbanded. The league is run as a “not for profit trade organisation” according to IRS form 990 for which the league must operate. Under this form it must disclose the pay of the most senior executives; however in 2007 they only listed Roger Goodell. In 2008 they did add a further 25 however appealed to congress for exemption from other proposed changes, and in doing so were able to hide its other expenses. Later in 2014 financial analysts at Bloomberg looked closely at the NFL’s finance report and published “The NFL’s secret finances: a $10 Billion dollar mystery”. In short the report found that after the teams and the league had taken their percentage, $10B was unaccounted for and the NFL has no obligation to release any details. You may be asking yourself, who cares? The way I see it the price we all pay to watch football and the revenue they gain in Europe, I want a bigger percentage of that money invested in Europe and not helping Goodell reach his revenue goal of $27B by 2027. Thankfully I’m not alone, back in Germany a number of “new” Galaxy fans are planning to go to Wembley in Galaxy merchandise and voice their opinion.

I believe the NFLE can work and can be profitable if it is done correctly. The atmosphere in Europe is ready as is the fan base. As of yet no forecast report on its financial feasibility has been published. Furthermore fans in Europe have not been asked and so for the NFL to just dismiss the idea is foolish. If you have forgotten the WLAF or never experienced what it was like, read Alex’s book!

2016 GFL Team Introductions Part 2 - The North

Article by Alex Underwood

In Part Two of our German review we will have a quick look into the Northern Division. Historically the North has dominated German football with the bulk of wins coming from Northern teams. In the last ten years only the Unicorns have collected the German Bowl. For some of the following clubs its been relitivly quiet, others have rather alot going on.

 

Berlin Rebels, EST 1987; Home ground and capacity: Mommsen stadium, 15,005

Despite the Adler’s poor season in 2016 the Rebels are still considered by many to be Berlin’s second team. QB Darius Outlaw (who had a stint with the Adler before returning to the Rebels) will lead the offence gain this year with, American running back Lawrence McCoy alongside him. The Rebels are a team that sticks together, a recent article the club stated that added together, the veterans of the club had been together for 62 years.    

Berlin Adler, EST 1979; Home ground and capacity: Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn Sports park, 19,708

This year the Adler will want to put to bed last season’s financial and on field woes. Devon Francois’s arrival from the US to play safety is a major boost. Francois will play alongside 23 year veteran lineman Robert Zwanzig who joined the Adler in 1993. The Adler have put a vast amount of resources in recent months developing their flag team ready for a new national league format being put together for 2016. Meanwhile the fans of the Adler can only hope that 2015 was just a blip and the club can return to the top.

Hamburg Huskies, EST 1994; Home ground and capacity: Hammer Park, 9,000

The Days of the Hamburg Blue Devils playing as one of Europe’s elite are well and truly over with that club now playing in the regional leagues. It’s been a while coming but the Huskies are a strong replacement and are a team well worth watching. This year the club signed new quarterback Jordan Perry from Northern Arizona University (NCAA DIV. I). Not to be out done the defence picked up Jonathan Perkins from UC Davis (University of California, Davis - NCAA DIV I). He was signed from Ferrara Aquile of the Italian Football League. This team has made massive out of season moves and has real potential to compete for the German bowl.   

 

Kiel Baltic Hurricanes; EST 1988; Home ground and capacity: K ilia Stadium, 1,400

90 Kilometres north of the Huskies are the Hurricanes, one of Europe’s big boys. Like the Huskies the Hurricanes have also been actively improving the roster with signing former Kentucky Wesleyan College receiver Xavier Mitchell. The big news however is not the signings; it’s the unfolding news of head coach Dan Disch leaving for his native America due to family related reasons. Furthermore he looks unlikely to return, having taken a job at the University of South Miss. This could have major implications on the division opening the door for the Huskies and Monarchs. Meanwhile the team must prepare for their EFL group game with the Amsterdam Crusaders with a make shift coaching unit.

New Yorker (Braunschweig) Lions; EST 1987; Home ground and capacity: Eintracht-Stadion, 24,406

Next up are the New Yorker Lions, Europe’s number one club, and with the sponsorship they receive it may not be changing any time soon. The Club has dominated German domestic football for years and has made Europe their own as well. American Grant Enders will line up under center again in 2016 after he seamlessly took over from Casey Therriault in 2015. It’s been a quiet year by the Lions standards although signing German national team WR Jan Hilgenfeldt from Dresden is an eye opener.

Dresden Monarchs; EST 1992; Home ground and capacity: Heinz-Steyer-Stadium, 3,000

Losing Jan Hilgenfeldt to the Lions was a sharp blow to the Monarchs, so the Monarchs looked to Finland and brought in two of their internationals, 22-year-old Sebastien Sagne and the 23-year-old Micky Kyei (nothing like a little retail therapy). The Monarchs have a very international feel to it with players from across Europe, America and DB Isaac Summerfield from Australia.   

Dusseldorf Panther; EST 1978; Home ground and capacity: VfL Benrath Stadium, 10,000

The panther are part of the old guard of Germany and are one of Europe’s founding teams and the oldest in the GFL. Like the Adler, Dusseldorf has been playing in the top flight for decades and has history with the London Olympians in the form of their 1995 Eurobowl win. In recent years success has been hard to come by with the club generally being found in the bottom half of the table. Now times could be changing with new sponsor Avantum consulting. They are not only providing investment, but also business consultancy with a view to developing the Panther into the most professional, stream lined back office in European football. On the field, Hunter C. Kelley from Missouri is the big signing. He has played at every position on the defensive line as well as linebacker so far in his career and is going to pose problems for offensive lines in the north all year.

Hildesheim Invaders; EST 1983; Home ground and capacity: Eintracht Homefield, 9,000

The Invaders are going to find life hard in the GFL, especially when you have to call your derby game a match with the Lions. The Invaders are the underdogs of the GFL and for good reason. The club simply don’t have the big game experience as their opponents. On the plus side for the Invaders they have kept the bulk of their successful GFL2 squad together and still have outstanding American running back Reggie Bullock on the roster.

2016 GFL Team Introductions Part 1 - The South

Article by Alex Underwood

With domestic European seasons looming we thought it would be a good idea to take a look at the GFL prior to our weekly coverage. In the first in this two part series well take a look at the teams in the GFL South and their chances of glory.

Munich Cowboys, EST 1979; Home ground and capacity: Dante stadium, 18.000.

The Cowboys won’t be making life easy for anyone in 2016, with new American QB Jake Schaefer and three freshly signed players from the Unicorns. The Cowboys also announced two major sponsors for 2016 in ITG (international freight) and sports goods firm K- Active. All in all the Cowboys have made positive steps for 2016 and it will be interesting to see how they do this year.

Frankfurt Galaxy, EST 2007; Home ground and capacity: Frankfurter Volksbank Stadion, 4,470.

The Galaxy (formally Universe) finalised a deal to use the logo and name from NFL properties with no long term legal dangers. For the NFL it sends a signal of their loyalty to the German game, while not actively sending a game there, very clever! Prior to the Galaxy only the Frankfurt Löwen have competed for a trophy in both the GFL (previously the Bundesliga) or GFL 2, and that was in 1979 and 1980 when they became German Bowl champions, so the question of if a familiar name change Frankfurt’s fortunes could soon be answered soon.

Schwabisch Hall Unicorns, EST 1983; Home ground and capacity: Optima Sports Park, 1,400 + standing.

The U’s have been busy, really busy in the off season with 17 changes on the field, most of which are from other GFL clubs. The Unicorns are desperately waiting for their new home, the 1,400 seater Optima sports park to be finished. The project (that also boasts a terrace for standing fans) has been shared with the Sportfreunde Schwäbisch Hall football club is due to be completed in March.

Stuttgart Scorpions, EST 1982; Home ground and capacity: Gazi-Stadion auf der Waldau, 11.410.

2016 will see two new American faces line up for the Scorpions, both of whom are former players from the East Carolina University. QB Shane Carden and team mate for both clubs Wide Receiver Rocco Scarfone, are going to cause more than enough entertainment for 2016. Stuttgart boasts a massive number of sponsors including Pepsi and KFC.

Allgäu Comets, EST 1982; Home ground and capacity: Illerstadion, 9.000.

The Allgau Comets play in the town of Kempten and were known as the Kempten Comets until 1993. This year the club signed Greg Williams Jr at cornerback. In 2014 he participated in the regional combine at the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts.

Saarland Hurricanes, EST 1982; Home ground and capacity: Ludwigs park stadium, 35,303.

Saarland Hurricanes have gone a little French this season (not surprising as the region borders France), CB Victor Ferrier, WR Bryan Billy and OL Valandray Bantantou all make the move. Former Buffalo Bill Wesley Miller will also join the club at safety.

Marburg Mercenaries, EST 1991; Home ground and capacity; Georg-Gaßmann-Stadium, 12,000.

The Mercenaries were battered 70-19 in the Eurobowl final by the Vienna Vikings back in 2007. During this period they were one of the best clubs in Europe with an EFAF cup in ’95 to add to their 5 divisional championships. American Running back Silas Nacita had the honour of appearing in sports illustrated documenting the difficulties of his career, and his opening quote reads "When I said that I'd go anywhere to play football, I meant it that way. This is obviously not the NFL, but it is the opportunity I had in front of me. I always wanted to travel the world, which was not yet granted by football. Now I get this chance just by the football, it's off to Marburg”

Rhein-Neckar Bandits, EST 2003, Home ground and capacity; MTG Stadium, 1,500

It was a merger between the Hockenheim Renegades and the Heidelberg Toreros that gave birth to the Bandits. The Bandits have made very few changes in the off season