National Women's Football League
Most recent season or competition:
1988
SportAmerican Football
Founded1974
Ceased1989
No. of teams21 total
CountryUnited States
Most titlesToledo Troopers (4)

The National Women's Football League (NWFL) was a women's American football league that operated from 1974 to 1988.

Background

The first attempts to formalize women's gridiron football came about during the 1960s when Sid Friedman, an entrepreneur, created the Women's Professional Football League (WPFL). The league's approach was considered exploitative but the league resulted in the creation of a number of teams that later formed the NWFL.[1][2]

History

The NWFL was formed in 1974, originally consisting of seven teams.[3] Its creation came about due to a belief that women's football was an unserved market.[4] Players were paid around $25 a game.[3] Teams were typically located in less populous towns and more rural settings.[3]

A NWFL game was televised for the time in August 1975 but coverage of the league remained limited.[2][3] What coverage the league achieved was often dismissive and played on various gender stereotypes.[2][5][6]

Linda Jefferson, a running back with Toledo Troopers, was inducted into the American Football Association Hall of Fame.[7] and was named the 1975 Athlete of the Year by womenSports.[8]

The NFWL began to fragment towards the end of the 1970s when ten teams broke off to form the Western States Women's Professional Football League.[9] The league ceased in 1988 and its failure was attributed to limited funding, a lack of media coverage and support, and poor organization.[4]

Rules

The NWFL followed customary rules of 11-on-11 gridiron football with the exception of extra point attempts. In the NWFL, a successful kick attempt was awarded two points and a successful rush or pass attempt was awarded one point.

Teams

  • Toledo Troopers (founding team) (1974-1979)
  • Los Angeles Dandelions (founding team) (1974-1978)[10]
  • California Mustangs (founding team) (1974-1978)
  • Columbus Pacesetters (founding team) (1974-1988)
  • Dallas Bluebonnets (founding team) (1974)
  • Fort Worth Shamrocks (founding team) (1974-1977)
  • Detroit Demons (founding team) (1974-1977)
  • Middletown Mavericks (1975-1979)
  • San Diego Lobos (1975-1976)
  • Oklahoma City Dolls (1976-1979)
  • Houston Herricanes (1976-1979)
  • Pasadena Roses (1976-)
  • Philadelphia Queen Bees (1976-)
  • San Antonio Flames (1976-)
  • Tulsa Babes (1976-1978)
  • Lawton Tornados (1977-1979)
  • Cleveland Brewers (1979-1986)
  • Battle Creek Rainbows (1980-1983)
  • Grand Rapids Carpenters (1983-1987)
  • Toledo Furies (1983-1987)
  • Lansing Unicorns (1986)

A few NWFL teams existed before the formation of the league in 1974, namely the Toledo Troopers (est. 1971), Dallas Bluebonnets (est. 1972), Detroit Demons (est. 1972), and Los Angeles Dandelions (est. 1973).

League Championships

YearChampionRunner-upScore
1974Toledo Troopers–no game †
1975Toledo Troopers–no game †
1976Toledo Troopers, Oklahoma City Dolls–13-12 ††
1977Toledo TroopersOklahoma City Dolls25-14
1978Oklahoma City DollsToledo Troopers8-0
1979Oklahoma City DollsColumbus Pacesettersno game †††
1980Columbus Pacesetters
1981Columbus Pacesetters
1982Cleveland BrewersColumbus Pacesetters12-18 ††††
1983Cleveland BrewersColumbus Pacesetters43-6
1984Toledo FuriesCleveland Brewers34-6
1985Grand Rapids CarpentersToledo Furies
1986Grand Rapids CarpentersToledo Furies
1987Grand Rapids CarpentersToledo Furies
1988

† In 1974 and 1975, the NWFL Champion was determined on basis of win-loss record. No playoffs or championship games were held.

†† Toledo initially claimed a 13–12 victory over Oklahoma City after a 2-point kick attempt by the Dolls was ruled no good. However, after further review of game film by league officials, the game was declared a 13–13 tie, and the two teams had to share the league title.[11][12][13]

††† The championship game was not played, and Oklahoma City was awarded the league title administratively.[14][15][16]

†††† While Columbus initially claimed a 18–12 victory in double overtime, Cleveland later successfully protested the officiating of the game. A league oversight committee found that three of the four officials hired by the Pacesetters were not sanctioned according to NWFL bylaws. The committee awarded the Brewers a 20-0 forfeit victory and the league title.[17]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Linden, Andrew D. (2015-12-12). "Revolution on the American Gridiron: Gender, Contested Space, and Women's Football in the 1970s". The International Journal of the History of Sport. 32 (18): 2171–2189. doi:10.1080/09523367.2015.1016916. ISSN 0952-3367. S2CID 143807501.
  2. 1 2 3 Taylor, Katie; Linden, Andrew D.; Antunovic, Dunja (September 3, 2019). ""From Beach Nymph to Gridiron Amazon": Media Coverage of Women in American Football, 1934–1979". Communication & Sport. 9 (3): 458–475. doi:10.1177/2167479519871961. ISSN 2167-4795. S2CID 202907279.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "The Unusual Origins of the Dallas Bluebonnets, the Trailblazing Women's Football Team". D Magazine. 2021-11-02. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  4. 1 2 "How sexism and homophobia sidelined the National Women's Football League". NPR.org. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  5. ↑ Murphy, J (May 14, 1975). "Test of liberated man, football-playing wife". San Diego Union.
  6. ↑ Harris, R. H. Jr. (December 2, 1971). "What kind of team has a 110-pound end and a 265-pound tackle". The Wall Street Journal. pp. 31–32.
  7. ↑ "American Football Association Semi-Pro Hall of Fame". Americanfootballassn.com. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
  8. ↑ "Remembering Toledo's Troopers". Toledoblade.com. 16 June 2013. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  9. ↑ Kantor, Stuart (2000). "The History of Women's Professional Football" (PDF). Professional Football Researchers Association.
  10. ↑ Rasmussen, Cecilia (January 22, 1996). "Rare Blooms in the Field of Athletics". Los Angeles Times. p. B9. Retrieved 2022-06-02 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ de la Cretaz, Britni. "Almost Undefeated: The Forgotten Football Upset of 1976". Longreads. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  12. ↑ P.S., Luchter. "Women's Professional Championship Games". Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  13. ↑ Jackson, David. "A History of Women in Tackle Football". Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  14. ↑ de la Cretaz, Britni. "Almost Undefeated: The Forgotten Football Upset of 1976". Longreads. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  15. ↑ Jackson, David. "Oklahoma City Dolls". Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  16. ↑ "Facebook Post, June 11, 2015". Facebook. Tulsa Threat Women's Tackle Football. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  17. ↑ Nichols, Bill (21 October 1982). "Brewers' protest upheld, giving them grid crown". The Plain Dealer.
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