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The World Football League (WFL) was an American football league that played one full season in 1974 and most of its second in 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The league folded midway through its second season, in 1975. A new minor football league began play as the World Football League in 2008 after acquiring the rights to its trademarks and intellectual property; it folded in 2011.
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The Charlotte Hornets were an American football team in the short-lived professional World Football League. Despite their brief existence, the Hornets were North Carolina's first attempt at a major league football team, predating the Carolina Panthers by two decades. They were relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, from New York City in the middle of the 1974 season.
The San Antonio Wings were an American football team who played in the World Football League in 1975. The team started as the Florida Blazers in 1974, then moved to San Antonio in 1975 and became the San Antonio Wings.
The Birmingham Americans were a professional American football team located in Birmingham, Alabama. They were members of the four-team Central Division of the World Football League (WFL). The Americans, founded in late December 1973, played in the upstart league's inaugural season in 1974. The team was owned by William "Bill" Putnam, doing business as Alabama Football, Inc.
The Shreveport Steamer were a professional American football team in the World Football League. The franchise began the 1974 season in Houston, Texas, as the Houston Texans, playing their home games at the Houston Astrodome. Toward the end of the season, the team relocated to Shreveport, Louisiana, and became the Shreveport Steamer. They played at the 30,000-seat State Fair Stadium, now named Independence Stadium. Larry King, of future CNN fame, was one of their broadcasters.
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The 1974 WFL Pro Draft was the first professional draft of the World Football League (WFL). It supplemented its collegiate draft and included players from the NFL and CFL. It consisted of 480 selections in 40 rounds. Although it was expected that most of the NFL players drafted would have no intention of signing with the new league, the WFL still wanted to have the prominent NFL players future rights assigned, preventing WFL teams from competing in the signing for the same players.
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References
- ↑ "Woes continue for WFL". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). Associated Press. October 22, 1975. p. 2B.
- ↑ "'It's over' for WFL". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. October 22, 1975. p. 1E.
- ↑ "World Football League collapses in hopeless debt". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. October 23, 1975. p. 34.
- ↑ "Ghost of season past kills WFL". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). Associated Press. October 23, 1975. p. 13.
- 1 2 "Pro football: World League standings". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). October 21, 1975. p. 14.
- 1 2 Thomas, Roy (20 Oct 1975). "Vulcs take fire out of Southmen". Montgomery Advertiser. p. 7. Retrieved 2021-10-04– via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "1975 World Football League Results" . Retrieved 2015-11-11.