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Australian rules football in the United States

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Australian rules football in the United States
CountryUnited States
Governing bodyUSAFL
National team(s)Men's/Women's
First played1906, San Francisco
Registered players2,000 (total)
1,000 (recreational)
Clubs49[1]
National competitions
USAFL
AFANA (fan organization)
Audience records
Single match14,787 (1990). Melbourne v. West Coast (Civic Stadium, Portland)

Australian rules football in the United States of America (USA) (Sometimes referred to as "Aussie Rules" or simply "footy") is a team and spectator sport which has grown rapidly since the late 1990s.

It was originally introduced in 1906 and by 1908 "field ball" or "fieldball", as it was called was in San Francisco Bay area schools, filled a niche that was later occupied by soccer. By 1911 with the rapid expansion to schools and colleges in three major cities the US overtook New Zealand to become the second largest Australian football playing nation in the world and there were three reciprocal tours with international matches played at junior level between 1909 and 1919. However availability of officials, large fields, squads of sufficient size and difficulty in differentiating the sport from rugby, and a lack of vision from Australian administrators stunted its growth and it went into permanent recess at the end of the 1920s. The sport was rekindled in the 1980s through interest generated mainly from television highlights from Australia. Prior to this, it has been confused with rugby football which is less popular than American Football in the US. The world governing body, the AFL Commission has recently made great efforts to differentiate it from rugby, producing educational videos such as "What is AFL?" aimed at a North American audience (Video on YouTube).

The current national club competition and governing body, the United States Australian Football League (USAFL) traces its origins back to 1996. Today there are numerous leagues around the country. The USAFL National Championships is the largest club tournament in the world. The national men's team - The USA Revolution - debuted in 1999 and reached bronze the 2005 Australian Football International Cup. The national women's team, the USA Freedom - debuted in 2007 and reached bronze in the 2011 Australian Football International Cup. A national youth team has also been established and participation is growing in women's teams, junior teams and in modified and non-contact variations such as Footy 7s.

History

Famous Australian American Footballer Pat O'Dea helped introduce Australian Rules into Californian schools in 1908

Australian rules football was virtually unheard of in the United States in the 19th Century. American Football (gridiron), Association Football (soccer) and Rugby Football were all established sports and Americans had limited awareness of the Australian game. Pat O'Dea became a legendary gridiron punter and made headlines as the "Kangaroo Kicker" in the late 1890s, yet rarely any received any mention of developing his kicking prowess through the Australian game, let alone his previous career in Australia with the Melbourne Football Club.[2]

A 1905 VFL Report made mention of a request from parties in the USA in obtaining copies of the Laws of the Game, the VFL advised that the Americans adopt its superior laws in the interests of unifying the codes, but made no other offer of support. This however also stimulated debate among the competition's board as to whether it was in its interest to facilitate such requests.[3] By 1906 the newly formed governing body, the Australasian Football Council and the VFL had resolved that the game should only be played in Australasia and would not support it being played elsewhere, much to the frustration of proponents such as West Australian Football League secretary John J Simons.[4]

Simons, while organising a promotional Australian Football tour of England, had sought to include the USA and wrote to various football groups including expatriate Australians in North America to express interest in fielding teams against the Australians. He initially wrote to Con Hickey, chairman of the VFL for assistance, proposing the league send a touring side and provide funding, however Hickey replied that the VFL would not support the initiative believing it would be a failure.[5] While the tour never went ahead, Simons was instrumental in the formation of teams in Vancouver and several Australians in America also answered the call.

In 1906 Pat O'Dea began training college students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and an expatriate Victorian cricketer A Warne, working with the Philadelphia City Council introduced the game there along with cricket.[6] But it was ex-Fremantle WAFL player Charles Lynan then working at the Southern Pacific Transportation Company in San Francisco who had the most success training students, most of whom were basketballers and rugby players, at Columbia Park Grammar School.[7] Observing the trend away from American Football, and the burgeoning local rugby community he initially sought to convince the newly formed San Francisco Barbarians Rugby Club and also Stanford's newly formed rugby team, who had been actively seeking less violent alternatives to American Football, to try Australian Football.[8] He initially garnered their support, including a financial commitment, however lost it soon after the fanfare of the Australian rugby team's tour and matches against the two clubs in 1909. Following the tour, "Australian football" had to Americans, become synonymous with rugby. Lynan decided that teaching younger players would be more effective to differentiate the sport and engaged O'Dea (following his move to San Francisco to practice law[9]) to assist him to popularise it.[10] By January 1909, they had trained more than 450 junior athletes to choose the best to form a squad.[11] Having gained the support of the Public Schools Athletic Association of San Francisco president and founder of the Columbia Park Boys' Club Major Sidney Piexotto, Lynan and O'Dea, in correspondence with Australian football organisations including the WAFL and Young Australia League (YAFL) (who earlier had donated two footballs to the school) organised a cross-cultural excursion, feeling that their American boys were ready to take on Australia. Simons once again applied to the VFL to provide a week's board, to which the league telegraphed that it was "totally opposed to the scheme" and refused any support.[12] Undeterred, Simons as chairman of both the WAFL and YAFL arranged for these leagues to fully fund the American's travel and board, providing £3,000 for an exchange visit.[13] A management committee was formed consisting of: Lynan, B. Free, L. Resleur, R. Buchanan, William McCann and T. Wood with a coaching panel consisting of Pat O'Dea, Lynan, Buchanan and Price.[14] The 40 selected schoolboys, most of them also baseballers set sail on the SS Mariposa on May 21, 1909.[15]

First Schoolboys Tour of Australia

First American schoolboys team to tour Australia. San Francisco. April, 1909

The initial tour was ambitious, and intended to visit many nations of the Commonwealth including all Australian states, however in addition to the WAFL and YAFL reply invitations were received only from the New South Wales Football Association in Sydney and VFA in Melbourne, Victoria. The football side consisted of: Henry Behre (captain); Edward Burke (vice captain); James Caveney; Frank B. Cliff; John Costello; Charles Day; Frank Danis; Edward Firestone; Harris Fraser; Michael Glaser; E. Griswold; Robert Hayes; Emil Hastings; Garnet Holme; A. Johnson; Benjamin Katz; James Kerrigan; Harvey Loy; G. Locke; C. Meinhart; H. Meanwell; Adolph Muheim; Charles Nagel; Edward Nelson; Charles Norton; Roy O'Connell; Alfred Peterson; William Prang; Hyman Raphael; Sidney Rosenthal; Edward Ryan; IA. Schmoll; A. Schmulowitz; Theo Steffens; E.Stern; Frank Trachsler; A. Truhler; Lee Waymire; P. Webber; Claude Weinhart; George Wihr; Edward Wilson; Sheridan Williams; George White; and, Leon Wing. The tour was an outstanding success. The team won an impressive 25 of the total 38 matches scheduled. The young side learned quickly and returned very keen to introduce the game to the States.[16] Following the tour, NSWAFL patron and Sydney Football Club president Sydney lawyer R.A Munro King sponsored a competition to send an Australian schoolboy to America to help teach Americans Australian rules. The winner, decided based on the student who could give the best lecture on the game, its history and development was a Sydney (Fort Street Public School) schoolboy and surf lifesaving champion Eric Cullen-Ward[17] who received a £200 travelling scholarship for his lecture and returned with the team to San Francisco.[18]

New Zealand

En-route via Tahiti, the Americans visited New Zealand,[19] both north island at Wellington on May 12 where they were asked why they did not play rugby, but trained with local footballers at the Basin Reserve.[20] An invitation to visit and play against the Auckland Australian Football League was left unfulfilled.[21][22] The Americans also visited the south island including Invercargill[23] though no football matches were organised.

New South Wales

The Americans arrived in Sydney in July and played against Sydney Public Schools on the 7 July.[24] Their first match was against Sydney combined schools which had won the most recent Australian Schoolboys championship. The Sydney tour did not have the desired promotional effect in Sydney with the rugby dominated media, unaware of Australian rules being played in the United States, mistakenly describing them as a touring American football, or rugby team.

Tour Date Location Result
7 July, 1909 Sydney Cricket Ground, New South Wales USA 6.7 (43) def. by Sydney combined schools 13.15 (93)[25]
11 July, 1909 Sydney Cricket Ground, New South Wales USA 2.6 (18) def. by Sydney combined schools 11.18 (84)[25]
12 July, 1909 Moore Park, New South Wales USA 20 def Sydney YMCA 8[25][26]

Victoria

American team in Benalla Victoria August, 1909

En-route to Melbourne the Americans were scheduled to visit towns along the way including Goulburn, Wangaratta, Victoria, Benalla and Beechworth to play against local representative sides.[27][28] They arrived in Melbourne in late July.[29] The tour however was much to the dissatisfaction of Australasian Football Council's Con Hickey[3] who was refusing to endorse it and warned the Americans not to attempt to engage with the VFA either. The AFC had insisted that touring footballers stay in Melbourne and affiliate with the AFC and the Victorian Football League. When the visitors arrived in Melbourne the AFC offered a VFL contribution of £70 to the tour, along with a £130 contribution from the South Australian Football League however the AFC revoked this stating the tour was not returning the profits it had expected.[30] Hickey had offered to pay for the return fare to San Francisco, but only if they committed to cancelling their West Australian tour. The young players being amateurs, most of them had paid their own way, declined out of respect for the Western Australian hosts.[31] As a result, they weren't able to play against any AFC affiliated league clubs but were able to play against the country clubs and schools.

Tour Date Location Result
Wangaratta, Victoria USA 4.7 (31) def. by Wangaratta 3.7 (33)
Benalla, Victoria USA 7.13 (55) def Benalla 7.3 (45)
Beechworth, Victoria USA 7.9 (51) def Beechworth 1.4 (10)
27 July, 1909 Melbourne Cricket Ground USA 4.6 (30) def Melbourne north combined schools 0.9 (9)[32]
USA 3.5 (23) def. by Melbourne south combined schools 5.6 (36)
Christian Brothers USA 7.10 (52) def Christian Brothers 4.3 (27)
Ballarat, Victoria USA 2.2 (14) def. by Ballarat 4.2 (26)
Geelong, Victoria USA 14.9 (93) def Geelong 1.2 (26)

The Americans shocked Melbourne with an embarrassing win in front of a sizeable crowd, in which the visitors kept them goal-less.[33] Instead of playing football, the VFL organised for the Americans to watch a VFL match at South Melbourne between South Melbourne and Fitzroy, this was criticised after the match was marred by melees and the sort of heavy on-field violence that the Americans schools sought to avoid. The VFL's football boycott of the American tour was highly criticised by the West Australian media, accusing the Victorians of being sore losers and putting profits before the promotion of the game.[34][35] The troupe left Melbourne for Fremantle on the TSS Kanowna.[36]

Western Australia

The generous interest and media coverage in Western Australia was a stark contrast to the cold receptions received by the Americans in Sydney and Melbourne. In West Australia, they visited areas where Australian rules was very strong including Perth, Fremantle and the Goldfields in September 1909 where they honed their skills against local sides in some and were spectators of West Australian Football League matches.[31] John Simons, WAFA secretary acted as dedicated tour manager.[37] By the time had left Perth, the game hardened outfit were faced with regional teams that were fielding their best senior teams to preserve their reputations as the young Americans notched together series of successive wins. The skill level, physicality and pace of the Americans shocked many local sides, with several rematches requested.[38]

Tour Date Location Result
23 August, 1909 Fremantle Oval USA 7.10 (52) def Fremantle 2.2 (14)[39]
25 August, 1909 Subiaco Oval, Perth USA 6.6 (42) def. by Perth 12.12 (84)[39]
26 August, 1909 Midland Junction USA 8.3 (51) def. by Midland Junction 11.11 (77) [40][41]
28 August, 1909 Bunbury USA 8.11 (59) def. by Bunbury 13.26 (83)[42]
31 August, 1909 Collie USA 6.3 (42) def. by Collie 10.19 (63)[43]
Collie USA 7.9 (51) def Collie 6.9 (45)
3 September, 1909 Narrogin USA 7.10 (52) def Narrogin 3.3 (21) [44][45]
Narrogin USA 3.11 (29) def Narrogin 0.4 (4)
Pingelly USA 7.1 (43) def Pingelly 4.10 (34)
9 September, 1909 Beverley USA 3.7 (25) def. by Beverley 6.10 (46) [44]
Beverley USA 3.9 (27) def Beverley 2.5 (17)
Northam USA 6.10 (46) def Northam 4.4 (28)
Toodyay, Western Australia[46] USA 4.5 (29) def. by Newcastle 6.12 (48)
Southern Cross USA 6.10 (46) def Southern Cross 6.6 (42)
18 September, 1909 Coolgardie USA 7.11 (43) def Coolgardie 1.4 (10) [44]
Christian Brothers, Kalgoorlie USA 5.10 (40) def Christian Brothers 1.1 (7)
Boulder USA 7.9 (51) def Boulder 5.3 (33)
Kalgoorlie USA 7.12 (54) def Kalgoorlie 3.4 (22)
Christian Brothers, Kalgoorlie USA 3.4 (22) def. by Christian Brothers 4.6 (30)

South Australia

Tour Date Location Result
Port Adelaide, South Australia USA 14.22 (106) def Port Adelaide 6.6 (42)
Adelaide, South Australia USA 7.12 (51) def Adelaide 6.13 (49)
Peterborough, South Australia[47] USA 5.8 (38) def Petersburg 1.4 (10)
Broken Hill[48] USA 6.6 (42) def Broken Hill 2.11 (23)
Broken Hill[49] USA 0.4 (4) def. by Broken Hill 4.4 (28)
Port Pirie, South Australia USA 6.10 (40) def. by Port Pirie 5.11 (41)
Kadina, South Australia USA 6.15 (51) def Kadina 3.3 (21)
Moonta, South Australia USA 6.12 (48) def Kadina 4.4 (28)

The tourists finally reached Brisbane and Queensland in January 19, 1910, for a rushed, low key visit and were, by that time, too exhausted from the oppressive outback heat to play any further football matches in Australia.[50] The also visited Tasmania before returning to San Francisco on the SS Makura on January 17, 1910.[51]

1910-1914: "Field Ball" takes off in American schools

Schools field Ball match: Crocker Grammar vs Columbia Park Grammar. August, 1910

The return of Columbia Park boys and the arrival of Cullen-Ward from Sydney who travelled along with them[52] helped the game, first known locally as "bouncing football" and "field ball", spread to San Francisco public grammar schools in early-mid 1910.[53] It was one of four football codes to be played including American, Association and Rugby football[54] however the parents at these 35 Californian schools had decided not to permit their children to play either American or Rugby football and Pexiotto was keen to see Australian rules adopted spruiking its key benefits as being safer and more appealing to spectators.[55] Cullen Ward conducted several clinics, including one at Mission High School, Everett Grammar School and Crocker Grammar School.[56] The first game was played at Golden Gate Park, played by a majority of rugby players in squads of up to 25 players playing under Australian Rules was promoted among local schools with many of the local schools invited to watch.[57] After seeing the Australian "Field Ball" (as it was then promoted), an excited Fremont Boys from Riverside expressed interest in starting a team to join a new competition in May,[58] but Pacific Heights Grammar School was the second and regular matches were played between the two schools.[59][60] Lowell Grammar School, Crocker Grammar later joined the competition with a substantial number of rugby players making the switch.[61] Hancock Grammar school joined in with regular practice with Crocker Grammar. Reference to Australia in the name was disfavoured and grammar schools had decided to call it "Field Ball" in an effort to distance it from rugby and give it more local appea and the name stuck.[61] Cullen Ward was to go on to teach, coach, play and officiate field ball at several dozen schools across the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, Vancouver in June 1911 and went on to coach an All-American team against visiting sides. He married an American in 1912 and intended to settle permanently in California.[62]

Field Ball, now being promoted as "the ideal game for grammar school students" was played by Hancock against Crocker schools in front of a crowd of around 4,000 students[63][64][65] A call went out to expatriate Australians familiar with the "Victorian Rules" to help organise senior matches being played under the banner of the Barbarians (Rugby Club).[66] Hancock side was coached by a teacher of Stockton Grammar School taught by Cullen and also introduced the game there.[67] Roosevelt Grammar School adopted thecode later in the year[68] along with Franklin Grammar School.[69]

Chicago and Philadelphia schools were also adopting the code[70] and in 1911 calls were made for Australian coaches to facilitate representative sides.[71] Representatives from the University of California met to formalise governing body for a San Francisco vs Chicago representative match, to introduce Field Ball into colleges and to send a team to tour Australia.[72][73] The new body secured a dedicated training and match facility and head office at Ocean Shore grounds.[74] An editorial in the San Francisco Call noted that local school children much preferred Field ball over the American sports and it had become highly popular despite their parents preferring that they play American national sports like American Football, Baseball and Basketball.[75] In San Francisco, the league expanded to include Everett Grammar School, Monroe Grammar School and YMCA.[76]

Young Australia League Tour of North America

International Fieldball: USA schoolboys vs Young Australia League. Presidio of San Francisco. 1 October 1911

Plans for a Young Australia League reciprocal tour the US and play against an American side began as early as April 1910, Simons originally proposed that the team be representated by players from all states of Australia,[77] but without support from the Eastern States the proposed interstate quota was dropped to 10.[78] As it became obvious that AFC affiliated states were not coming to the party, a contingency plan was set in place for it to be Western Australia only, consisting of a balance of half city and half country players.[76] In the end an agreement was reached with the governing bodies of the eastern states that the final team would feature 40 West Australians, one South Australian and one Victorian and the touring party was to detour to Adelaide and Melbourne prior to departure at the tour manager's expense to receive the two interstate players.[79][80]

Three matches with the Young Australian League were set for September at the Presidio of San Francisco[81] Cullen-Ward was appointed head coach of the national team.[82] The Australian team arrived on the Matai. They were received with much fanfare with a full page photo of the Australian team featuring in the papers,[83] along with the local boys captained by Henry Behre.[84] The match was won 95 to 44 at Lincoln Park infront of a crowd of 5,000 including most of the school children in the city and photos of gameplay were featured in The San Francisco Call.[85] In the second match, the Americans took it up to the Australians with the match decided by just 8 points Australia 9.16 (70) to San Francisco 8.14 (62).[86] The match also stimulated interest in the Australian expatriate community, and a third match was played between a combined residents side and the visitors which the visitors won convincingly 125 to 30.[87] The showcase attracted the attention of the The New York Times which featured it in an article "Australian Game of Football is the Best".[88]

Tour Date Location Result Attendance
24 September, 1911 Lincoln Park, San Francisco USA 44 def. by Young Australia League 95 5,000
24 September, 1911 Lincoln Park, San Francisco USA 8.14 (62) def. by Australia 9.16 (70)
24 September, 1911 Lincoln Park, San Francisco San Francisco residents 30 def. by Australia 125

Senior Competition Established

Following the success of the Young Australia League tour, four clubs were formed to give maturing students and expatriate men an opportunity to play open age football in a championship competition including a proposed expatriate Australian club with two teams.[89] The game was also played on Stanford University campus with the aim of establishing a club there.[90] On the 5th December, 1911, the Public Schools Athletic League endorsed Field Ball as an official school sport, estalishing an all-schools tournament.[91]

By August 1911, the game was proving so popular that there weren't enough officials to support its growth.[92] Cullen Ward and the Columbia Park Club had departed for Vancouver in Canada where schools had also been taking up the sport in recent years.[93] En-route to Vancouver the party visited Portland, Oregon and played an exhibition match at the University of Oregon.[94] The touring party helped ready Canadian players from Fort Vancouver High School to compete against a touring Young Australian League.[95][96] This tour was highly successful and plans were begun for a second second tour of Australia in 1914, with a request made to the Australasian Football Council for an Australian team to tour the USA.[97]

The popular schools competition had grown to 150 boys with new teams including Laguna Honda; State Normal; Washington; Bay View; and James Lick.[98][99]

By 1913, many of the students had grown and a colleges team was planning to represent the USA in Australian Rules team to tour Australia to play matches against Australian school teams starting in Perth, Western Australia from June, 1914.[100]

James Caveney was one of the pioneers of American fieldball as both junior player and coach before pursuing a Major League Baseball career in 1914.

Second Schoolboys Tour of Australia

In 1913, the Americans once again toured with a new group, and had planned a series of around 40 matches, however with funding for only 12 in the touring party, there was not enough of them to field a full team of 22.[101] This time they visited Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania.[102] The Young Australia League once again hosted the American side, however the WAFL began to distance itself from the venture and withdrew financial commitment to the tour.[103] Though media interest for the tour was scant, they did play matches against local sides, including one in Broken Hill,[104] and at Norwood Oval in Adelaide.[105] In November, 1913, they arrived in Melbourne on the Loongana. When asked of how the game in America was faring, the group cited the biggest challenges to its survival being access to fields and funding.[106]

Tour Date Location Result
16 July 1913 WACA Ground Young Australia League 3.1 (19) def USA 1.1 (7) [107]

The YAL and Columbia Club began to organise a third tour for 1915 with plans for reciprocal tours every 3 years.[108]

In response to the American's 1912 request, a proposal was debated in 1914 by the Australasian Football Council to send a team the US, however a decision was deferred until after the war.[109] The council never approved the motion.

The Young Australia League, did send 32 boys to tour the USA and Canada in 1915, playing football matches.[110]

World War I and Post War Efforts

Following news of his father's death[111] Cullen Ward returned to Sydney via the US during the war.[112] O'Dea disappeared completely from the public eye in 1917.[9]

A third schoolboys tour to Australia was organised in 1919 following the war and managed by E.D Grace, with many of the original team members now of high school age. However except when in Western Australia, Australian Football was now rarely part of the visitors programme. In Western Australia, however they defeated a team from the new Northam Senior High School by 3 points,[113] a match at Beverley who won by one point[114] and one in Katanning.[115]

Commentators in Australia however noted that by the 1920s the sport in America was in dire trouble with soccer now being adopted by most of the junior schools, it had better access to fields and required less players to hold a match. With growth of American football in the colleges had caused rugby popularity to wane, attempting to establish Australian Football in high schools and colleges seemed like a better option. Hopes were pinned on Carji Greeves (1924 Brownlow Medal winner) arrival to California to resurrect it. Greeves was appointed kicking coach at UCLA in 1928.[116] He would study at Stanford University, where he delivered on his promise to coach students there in Australian Rules.[9][117] However it continued to be confused with rugby and as such did not set down firm roots in the colleges.

Speaking in 1929 on the status of the sport in America, the Australian Football Council's Con Hickey amused that efforts to established it there had failed but cited Gaelic Football's rapid growth in the US in the 1920s as an example of how Australian Football might one day carve a niche, though reiterated that the Council had no interest in promoting it.[118] In 1932, a tour by two Australian teams was proposed supported by VFL players living in the US.[116] The idea was boosed when a touring Young American League in Melbourne commented that it would be ideal for high schools and proposed that the VFL invest in promoting the game.[119] The VFL, however showed little interest and the game faded into obscurity.

In 1947, 40 years after the AFC promoted the hybrid code of Universal Football, Melbourne Sports Globe sports writer Ern Cowley invented the game of Austus, a compromise game between gridiron and Australian 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.[120] Despite a series of popular matches which attracted US media attention, and an award for its inventor, the hybrid code did not take off outside of the military.

Date Location Result Attendance
US marines 69 vs Geelong 38 40,000
US marines 115 def Australian All-Stars 78 6,000
US marines 75 def Australian Army 52 8,000

1960s: First VFL Exhibition Matches

From the 1960s, having negotiated its first television broadcast rights the VFL and its clubs began to promote their brand outside Victoria seeking to further grow its audience. Both Melbourne and Geelong had taken an interest in the American market and in 1963 the first VFL exhibition matches were played in major US cities to test its potential international audience. The matches were very low key and were not successful in terms of attention or publicity.

Date Location Stadium Teams/Score Crowd
Oct. 20, 1963 Honolulu Honolulu Stadium Geelong 15.21(111) vs. Melbourne 17.21(123) 1,500[121]
Oct. 26, 1963 San Francisco Kezar Stadium Geelong 9.12(66) vs. Melbourne 10.11(71) 3,500[122]

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 was the first Australian to make such a transition he did not have much of an impact in the NFL.

1980s – television and ESPN

Television was the biggest breakthrough for Australian football in the United States. In late 1979, the brand new ESPN cable network signed its first international TV contract with the Victorian Football League (in 1990, it became the Australian Football League). Coverage began with the 1980 season with matches airing on late Friday and Saturday nights, sometimes live but usually one or two week tape delayed. At the time, reports indicated ESPN paid the VFL nearly $100,000. Coverage continued on ESPN until 1986, when the sport was dropped. This exposure on ESPN is credited with creating a generation of fans in the United States (and providing the foundation for the formation of AFANA and the USAFL in 1996). The founding of AFANA led to the first organized fan group for the sport outside Australia and lobbying for television coverage was part of the efforts to grow the sport from the beginning. The core of the initial players for the USAFL included many who first saw the matches on ESPN a decade or more earlier.

In 1987 a $10 million proposal from Perth magnate Errol Marron was put forward for a VFL club based partly in Los Angeles named the Los Angeles Crocodiles with profits to fund a local league. Stadiums in the proposal included the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In October 1987 Ross Oakley announced that the VFL had rejected the bid.[123][124][125]

Despite the rejected bid, the VFL showed a renewed interest in the US market in response to the growing television audience, the VFL scheduled more exhibition matches, with the locations largely the product of the available venues more than anything. The most interest was generated after the league rebranded as the national AFL in 1990 and featured capital city branded teams from the Australian East and West coast.

Date Location Stadium Teams/Score Crowd
Oct. 8, 1988 Miami, Florida Joe Robbie Stadium Collingwood 18.16(124) vs. Geelong 10.18(78) 7,500
Oct. 14, 1989 Miami, Florida Joe Robbie Stadium Essendon 18.16(124) vs. Hawthorn 15.20(110) 10,069
Oct. 12, 1990 Portland, Oregon Civic Stadium Melbourne 24.16(160) vs. West Coast 11.13(79) 14,787

The first American born player in the AFL, Don Pyke (who moved to Western Australia in his youth) debuted for the West Coast Eagles in 1989 and later that year, the first African-American born player Sanford Wheeler debuted for the Sydney Swans.

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, as excerpts of him kicking goals in the VFL were sometimes shown on American television. Since Bennett, other Australian rules players have followed, having a small effect of exposing the Australian game to Americans.

Against the flow, Essendon Football Club coach Kevin Sheedy enticed former Oakland Raiders National Football League player Dwayne Armstrong to switch codes to Australian rules. The experiment was largely unsuccessful, with Armstrong not debuting at senior level, but nevertheless created media interest in Australia about the possibility of American athletes playing the Australian game.

See Also List of Australian rules to Gridiron Converts

Local matches and the rise of a National League

The first match between two local US clubs was played in 1996 between Cincinnati and Louisville.[126] 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.

New millennium – international representation and steady growth

A national team, the Revolution, formed in 1999 to compete in a European event, the Atlantic Alliance Cup before concentrating on events closer to home. The USA turned to competing against nearby Canada in the 49th Parallel Cup and was for a time coached by AFL legend Paul Roos. This Cup is an annual and keenly contested international event which both countries use as a guide to their progress and as preparation for the International Cup, the world cup of Australian Football.

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.[citation needed]

In 2001, the first college Australian 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 US as a pool of talent 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 2003, clear weather at a Nashville home game against the St Louis Blues and Kangaroos saw the match set a new league crowd record.[127]

In 2005, the Revolution attended the 2005 International Cup finishing third out of ten countries. The first College Invitational was also held that year, hosted by Vanderbilt University and won by [University of North Carolina].

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.

Also in that year, Ben Graham joined the New York Jets, bringing media exposure for the Australian sport. On a multimillion-dollar NFL contract, Graham joined with the local New York Magpies club in fundraising activities.

In January 2006, an AFL promotional pre-season match was played in Los Angeles at UCLA between the Kangaroos and league premiers the Sydney Swans, it attracted a crowd of 3,200.

Jan. 15, 2006 Los Angeles Intramural Field, UCLA North Melbourne 13.8(86) vs. Sydney 6.2(38) 3,200

Saverio Rocca debuted in the NFL in 2007 as a punter, bringing media exposure for the Australian game.[128]

Kevin Sheedy and Stephen Silvagni visited in 2007 on a tour of North America as AFL ambassador, attending the USAFL Nationals.[129]

Notable Players

Notable players with connections to the United States
Currently on an AFL senior or rookie list
Player Connection to United States AFL Years* AFL Matches* Notes
Brandon Kaufman Born in US to US parents 2016-2017 - Former NFL wide receiver, international rookie for Gold Coast Suns[130]
Mason Cox Born in US to US parents 2015– 75 Former NCAA Division I basketballer, now professional Collingwood Football Club Texas born and raised to the age of 23
Jason Holmes Born in US to US parents 2014–2017 5 Former NCAA Division I basketballer played senior AFL games with St Kilda Football Club
Archie Smith Father 2014-2021 16 Son of NBA basketballer Andre Moore
Alex Starling Born in US to US parents 2012-2016 - Former NCAA Division I basketballer, recruited on Sydney Swans International scholarship, turned down an offer from Port Adelaide Power to play basketball with the NBL1 Central
Eric Wallace Born in US to US parents 2012-2015 - Former NCAA Division I basketballer, recruited on North Melbourne Football Club International scholarship, played VFL, went on to become tight end at Carolina Panthers (NFL)
Shae McNamara Born in US to US parents 2010–2012 - Former NCAA Division I basketballer, played with Collingwood Football Club in VFL (AFL reserves) and pre-season competition
Zac Clarke Father 2009-2019 110 Former NBL1 South basketballer[131]
Dwayne Armstrong Born in US to US parents 1996-1997 - Former NFL practice squad footballer recruited by Essendon Football Club, played at reserves (VFL) level
Peter Bell Mother 1995-2008 286 South Korean born Australian Football Hall of Famer
Don Pyke Born in US to Australian parents 1989–1996 132 Moved to Australia at age 4, played with the West Coast Eagles, 2 time AFL Premiership player
Sanford Wheeler Born in US to US parents 1989–1994 43 Moved to Australia at age 5, played with the Sydney Swans
Currently on an AFLW senior or rookie list
Player Connection to United States AFLW Years* AFLW Matches* Notes
Katrina Stone Born and raised 2021 - Western Bulldogs, Carlton Football Club (VFLW) from North London Lions (AFL London)
Dani Marshall Born in US to US parents, and played there 2020-21 11 Western Bulldogs (AFLW), from Arizona Hawks (USAFL)[132]
April Lewis Born, raised, played there 2019 - Essendon Football Club (VFLW) from Seattle Grizzlies (USAFL)
Jessica Blecher Born, raised, played there 2019 - Collingwood Football Club (VFLW) from Portland Sockeyes (USAFL)
Erin McLaughlin Born, raised, played there 2019 - Darebin Falcons (VFLW) from Minnesota Freeze (USAFL)
Katie Klatt Born, raised, played there 2017 - Melbourne University Football Club (VFLW) from Sacramento Suns (USAFL)

Administration and Governing body

The governing body for Australian Rules in the United States is the USAFL. The USAFL coordinates the national club competition, the USAFL Nationals and the national Revolution team selection, manages player registration and transfers and distributes funds to local clubs and competitions.

The USAFL Umpires Association (USAFLUA) represents the field of umpiring and the interpretation of the laws of the game.USAFL Umpires Association

National team

The national teams are the USA Revolution and USA Freedom. Both are the sole national teams for Australian football in the United States and are administered by the United States Australian Football League.

Major tournaments

Domestic representative tournaments

Participation

There are currently 49 active clubs across the country, 32 of which participated in the USAFL Nationals in 2018.[133]

In 2004, there were 855 senior players in 38 active clubs.[134] By 2006, the league had grown to 40 affiliated clubs, with 1,048 were registered USAFL players and 340 USAFL sanctioned matches were played. Of the 709 players who competed at the USAFL National Championships, 77.4% were non-Australian, and over 60% were American.[135]

The 2007 AFL International Census did not indicate any growth to these figures over 2006.[136] The club numbers decreased to 32 in 2011, but player registrations remained at approximately 1,000.[137]

Leagues

Men's

Women's

See also Metro Footy Leagues

Former leagues

Audience

Television

Since 2006, due to growing demand and lobbying by AFANA, Australian rules began playing live matches on television in the United States on the new Setanta Sports USA network. Coverage in 2015 is on Fox Sports 2 and Fox Soccer Plus.

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.[138] This number is twice as many as watch the sport on television in Australia, but tiny by US standards.[citation needed]

Notable Attendances

Local competitions

Exhibition matches

See also

References

  1. ^ USAFL Club List 2021
  2. ^ PAT ODEA IS THE KING OF KICKERS. San Francisco Call, Volume 84, Number 178, 25 November 1898
  3. ^ a b "FOOTBALL". The Daily News. Vol. XXVIII, no. 10, 526. Western Australia. February 26, 1909. p. 9. Retrieved October 8, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Young Australia League". Sporting Life : Dryblower's Journal. Vol. 2, no. 60. Western Australia. June 9, 1906. p. 4. Retrieved October 7, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ The Province (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) 12 Apr 1909 Page 11
  6. ^ "AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL". The Australian Star. No. 5726. New South Wales, Australia. June 21, 1906. p. 4 (FIRST EDITION). Retrieved October 27, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Little Brothers in America". The Daily News. Vol. XXVIII, no. 10, 503. Western Australia. January 30, 1909. p. 2. Retrieved October 1, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ San Francisco Call, Volume 103, Number 178, 26 May 1908
  9. ^ a b c The forgotten story of ... Patrick O'Dea by Adam Woolcock for The Guardian 8 Mar 2014
  10. ^ "Touring Australians". The Age. No. 16, 813. Victoria, Australia. February 1, 1909. p. 5. Retrieved September 30, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "PROPOSED WORLD'S TOUR". The Daily News (Perth, Western Australia). Vol. XXVIII, no. 10, 482. Western Australia. January 6, 1909. p. 8. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "FOOTBALL". The Daily News. Vol. XXVIII, , no. 10, 526. Western Australia. February 26, 1909. p. 9. Retrieved October 29, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
  13. ^ Evening bulletin. January 21, 1910, 3:30 Edition, Page 7, Image 7
  14. ^ The Province (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) 13 Jun 1908 Page 11
  15. ^ 40 Youngsters Will Sail for Australia. San Francisco Call, Volume 105, Number 125, 4 April 1909
  16. ^ NEW FOOTBALL MAY REPLACE OLD GAME Columbia Park Boys Master the "Victorian Style" During Australian visit. San Francisco Call, Volume 107, Number 82, 20 February 1910
  17. ^ "Australian Football". Barrier Miner. Vol. XXII, no. 6586. New South Wales, Australia. September 1, 1909. p. 5. Retrieved September 29, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "Eric Cullen Ward". The Sun. No. 18. New South Wales, Australia. July 21, 1910. p. 6 (LATE EDITION). Retrieved September 29, 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 476, 7 April 1909, Page 4
  20. ^ Overseas Tour. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, issue 7887, 24 August 1911, page 5
  21. ^ Auckland Star, Volume XL, issue 136, 9 June 1909, page 7
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  26. ^ Match halted due to poor weather
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  47. ^ Town name has changed since
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  49. ^ Was part of South Australia at the time
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  59. ^ NEW FOOTBALL TO BE GIVEN TRYOUT. San Francisco Call, Volume 108, Number 68, 7 August 1910
  60. ^ San Francisco Call, Volume 108, Number 70, 9 August 1910
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  65. ^ Field Ball will be on Card Today. The San Francisco call. September 01, 1910, Page 12, Image 12
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  67. ^ Local Field Ball Team to Visit Stockton. The San Francisco call. November 02, 1910, Page 10, Image 10
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  72. ^ Field Ball Due for a Boom. The San Francisco call. [volume], April 25, 1911, Page 12, Image 12
  73. ^ Field Ball Will Get Fine Boost. San Francisco Call, Volume 109, Number 156, 5 May 1911
  74. ^ Field Ball Gets Good Big Boost. The San Francisco call. May 27, 1911, Page 17, Image 17
  75. ^ Playing In Order to Do Life's Work Well. The San Francisco call. June 04, 1911, Image 5
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  82. ^ Ward Appointed Coach. The San Francisco call. August 18, 1911, Page 10, Image 10
  83. ^ The Hope of Australia 42 Picked Boys. San Francisco Call, Volume 110, Number 104, 12 September 1911
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  91. ^ Field Ball Now A School Sport. San Francisco Call, Volume 111, Number 6, 6 December 1911
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  120. ^ The Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Florida) 26 Mar 1944 Page 20
  121. ^ Demonwiki "1963 Exhibition Match 1 vs. Geelong" Demonwiki.org, Access Date: 2018-11-25.
  122. ^ Demonwiki "1963 Exhibition Match 2 vs. Geelong" Demonwiki.org, Access Date: 2018-11-25.
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  124. ^ https://www.heraldsun.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=HSWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.heraldsun.com.au%2Fsport%2Fafl%2Fmore-news%2Finside-the-vfls-crazy-plan-to-relocate-a-melbourne-team-to-los-angeles-in-1988%2Fnews-story%2F6eff04fe2ef470ac52bc7b4f4f7f3ded&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium
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  126. ^ "MAAFL League History". Midfooty.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
  127. ^ "MAAFL – Mid American Australian Football League – MAAFL History". Midfooty.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
  128. ^ Adjusting to Eagles not easy for Rocca from delawareonline.com
  129. ^ Sheedy proves a hit in US from news.com.au
  130. ^ Gold Coast may have to call up players not ready for senior football because of injury crisis from the Gold Coast Bulletin May 17, 2016
  131. ^ "Where in the World". Aflcommunityclub.com.au. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  132. ^ "'Indescribable': American Dani Marshall breaks AFLW ground". The Age. Nine Entertainment Co. February 10, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  133. ^ AFL Annual Report 2020
  134. ^ Brett. "World Footy Census 2004 – North America". Worldfootynews.com. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
  135. ^ 2006 USAFL Annual Report
  136. ^ "AFL International Census 2007" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 24, 2011. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
  137. ^ 2011 USAFL Annual Report
  138. ^ "Connecting The World Through International Single Source" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 24, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2012.
  139. ^ Australian Boys Give Local Team a Fine Lesson in Fieldball. The San Francisco call. September 25, 1911, Page 9, Image 9
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