The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada and the highest professional level of American football in the world. Each NFL season begins annually with a three-week preseason in August, followed by the 18-week regular season which runs from early September to early January, with each team playing 17 games and having one bye week. Following the conclusion of the regular season, seven teams from each conference advance to the playoffs, a single-elimination tournament that culminates in the Super Bowl, which is contested in February and is played between the winners of the AFC and NFC championship games.
The British American Football League (BAFL) was the United Kingdom's primary American football league from 1998 until 2010. It was formerly known as the British Senior League (BSL) until 2005. BAFL was the trading name for Gridiron Football League Ltd incorporated as a Company limited by guarantee. Registration number: 2353839. The company went into administration on 1 April 2010, and the company ceased to trade as from this date.
The London Olympians are an American football team based in Greenwich, London, England, who compete in Division 1, the 2nd tier of British American Football. Formed in 1983 and originally from Streatham the team were known as the Streatham Olympians until 1988 when they were renamed London Olympians, by the then owner Peter Erotokritos. In 1995 the club changed its name once more to the London O's before becoming the Olympians again in 2009.
The Rushmoor Knights American Football Club are a British American football club based in Rushmoor, Hampshire. The Club has three teams; the Rushmoor Knights (20+), the Rushmoor Knights U19 and the Rushmoor Knights U16. The Knights play in the SFC1 Central of the British American Football Association National Leagues and were the Britbowl champions in 2004.
The SGS Bristol Aztecs are an American football team based in Filton, South Gloucestershire, England, who operate in the BAFA National Leagues Premier South, the highest level of British American football. They are the south-west's only Premiership team. They operate from the South Gloucestershire and Stroud College in Filton, and they represent the City of Bristol which is where the team was formed.
The London Blitz are an American football team based in Finsbury Park, North London, England, who compete BAFA National Leagues Premier Division South, the highest level of British American football. They were formed in 1995 and operate from Finsbury Park Athletics Stadium. They are one of the Britain's most successful teams and are five-time BritBowl winners as well as European Champions following their EFAF Cup triumph in 2011. They have also seven divisional titles to their name.
The Britbowl is the championship game of the British American Football National League, and formerly the British American Football League (BAFL) in the United Kingdom. It is the most prestigious of the league's three bowl games that constitute Britbowl Weekend. Only teams in the Premier Division of BAFL are eligible to compete in Britbowl. To progress to a Britbowl the winner of the seasonal BAFA Premier Division South will play the Runner up of the Premier North and vice versa in a semi-finals with the two winners eventually meeting in a final. Teams who play in the second and third levels compete for promotion in their own Championship Bowl games
The Coventry Jets were an American football team based in Coventry, England.The club ceased to exist in 2018 and dropped out of the BAFA National Leagues with all club assets and teams being moved over to the Etone Jaguars based in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
Gateshead Senators are a British American football Team based in South Tyneside at Monkton Stadium.
The East Kilbride Pirates are an American Football team based in Glasgow, Scotland, who compete in the BAFA National Leagues Premier North, the highest level of British American football. The club although formed in East Kilbride currently operate in Glasgow and play their home games at Braidholm. They are both the most successful and the oldest surviving American Football team in Scotland having been formed in 1985. The club has won Division 1 National titles in 2011 and 2022 and are eleven-time Divisional champions.
The Birmingham Bulls are an American football team based in Birmingham, United Kingdom. They play their home games at Kings Norton RFC in Hopwood. They are a member of the NFC Division One South in the BAFA National Leagues.
The Cornwall Monarchs are an American Football team currently competing BAFA National Leagues South West. They played their home games at Newquay Sports Centre, Newquay, Cornwall.
The London Warriors are an American football club based in Thornton Heath, London, England. They compete in the BAFA National League Premier Division South, the highest level of British American football. They operate from Selhurst Sports Arena and were formed in 2007 as the London Cobras, but changed their name to the Warriors a couple of years later.
The Sussex Thunder are an American football team from England based in Sussex. The club entered the league for the first time in 1997 when the Crawley Raiders merged with local rivals the Brighton B52s to form a new club – Sussex Thunder under inaugural Head Coach Jim Jasicki. The Thunder reached the BritBowl Final in their second year led by current Head Coach Ian Ellis, narrowly losing to the London Olympians. Success continued to allude the club afterwards, but on 20 September 2008, led by Head Coach Len Scott, the Thunder won the Division 1 national championship in an overtime win against the Redditch Arrows.
The 2008 BAFL Season is the British American Football League. BritBowl XXII, the league's championship game, was scheduled to be played at Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster on September 21, 2008. The regular season began on May 4 with the BritBowl champions London Blitz defeating the Gateshead Senators 48-0.
The 2007 BAFL Season is the British American Football League. BritBowl XXI, the league's championship game, was scheduled to be played at Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster on September 23, 2007.
The 2009 BAFL Season is the British American Football League. BritBowl XXIII, the league's championship game, was scheduled to be played at Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster on 27 September 2009.
The BAFANL (BAFA National Leagues) is the primary American football domestic league competition in Great Britain. Originally formed in 1983, the league is run by the British American Football Association to coordinate contact football within England, Scotland and Wales. The top level is the Premier Division and the BritBowl is the annual final championship game. The league was reformed in 2010 following the collapse of the British American Football League, which had run in a number of different guises since the early 1980s. Previous names of the league were the UKAFL (UK American Football League), the Budweiser League and the BNGL (British National Gridiron League). From 1998 until 2005 the league was known as the BSL (British Senior League). Tensions grew throughout 2009 between the directors of BAFL and those of the governing body the British American Football Association, and at the beginning of 2010 the BAFL formally, but unconstitutionally, withdrew from BAFA. This led to uproar from the teams within BAFL, ultimately signalling the end for BAFL as an entity. The league ceased operations on 1 April 2010 and was replaced by the BAFA Community Leagues for the 2010 season, rebranding in 2011 to become the BAFANL. Notable players to have come from the BAFANL who have gone on to play in the NFL are Efe Obada, Aden Durde, Jermaine Allen and Marvin Allen.
The sport of American football is played in the United Kingdom in domestic and international levels. Domestic games in England. Scotland and Wales are operated by British American Football Association who run the BAFA National Leagues for Adult Contact football and British Universities American Football League for the University contact game. Games in Northern Ireland are structured by American Football Ireland who are based in the Republic of Ireland. The UK has played host to games in association with the Americans' National Football League (NFL), including four regular-season NFL games, as of 2021.
Stephen Hutchinson is a former professional English American football running back for the London Monarchs and the Scottish Claymores during the NFL Europe era. Hutchinson played seven seasons from 1990 to 1999 in the British American Football League BAFL. He played for the London Gators, Rockets and London Olympians helping the Olympions win the 1994 Eurobowl championship. Hutchinson was named the game MVP.
