Editing NFL Europe (section)

===Founding and origins===

In 1974, the [[National Football League]] (NFL) announced plans to launch a professional [[American football]] league in [[Europe]], the [[Intercontinental Football League]] (IFL). Aiming for a launch in the spring of 1975, the IFL would feature six teams (located in [[Istanbul]], [[Rome]], [[Munich]], [[West Berlin]], [[Vienna]], and [[Barcelona]], respectively) and would be a satellite league of the NFL, with initial funds made by the NFL owners and the rosters consisting of "second-line athletes and rookies from established NFL teams".<ref name="Origins of the WLAF">{{cite journal|last=Maher|first=Tod|year=1992|title=Origins of the WLAF|journal=The Coffin Corner|publisher=[[Pro Football Researchers Association]]|volume=14|issue=2|url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/14-02-455.pdf|access-date=August 17, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101218212452/http://profootballresearchers.org/Coffin_Corner/14-02-455.pdf|archive-date=December 18, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> The brainchild of [[Bob Kap]], the proposed league had already sold six franchises and had secured the rights to loan players from the NFL.<ref name="The first NFL Europe">{{cite journal|last1=Ford|first1=Mark L.|last2=Foglio|first2=Massimo|year=2005|title=The First 'NFL Europe'|journal=The Coffin Corner|publisher=[[Pro Football Researchers Association]]|volume=27|issue=6|url=http://profootballresearchers.com/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/27-06-1101.pdf|access-date=August 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150908021957/http://profootballresearchers.com/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/27-06-1101.pdf|archive-date=September 8, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The league had also pre-selected four more cities for expansion teams, and [[Al Davis]] and [[Tex Schramm]] were assigned to head the committee that would put the league together. The IFL did not materialize – the [[Pro Football Researchers Association]] attributed this failure to Europe not being ready for American football, potential competition with the [[World Football League]] (WFL), a [[Cancelled NFL games#1974 Players Strike|players' strike]] during the summer of 1974, and the [[1973–75 recession|recession]].<ref name="Origins of the WLAF" /> Another factor was the turmoil in Europe in 1974: [[Turkey]] had [[Turkish invasion of Cyprus|invaded]] [[Cyprus]], the [[Rodger Davies|American ambassador to Cyprus]] had been assassinated, [[Basque Country (greater region)|Basque]] separatists had assassinated the [[Prime Minister of Spain|prime minister of Spain]], and terrorist groups like the [[Red Brigades]] had engaged in kidnapping.<ref name="The first NFL Europe" /> The [[United States Department of State|State Department]] discouraged NFL Commissioner [[Pete Rozelle]] from pursuing the league, and the IFL also suffered a potentially fatal blow when [[Pan American World Airways]], who Kap had brought on as a sponsor, pulled out of the project. Ultimately, Rozelle deemed the creation of the league "impractical".<ref name="The first NFL Europe" />

By 1980, the popularity of American football was increasing in Europe without any push by the NFL. The NFL capitalized on this newfound interest by holding [[American Bowl]] games ([[National Football League preseason|pre-season exhibition]] contests held overseas), and the popularity of these games, particularly in [[London]], led to a renewed interest from Rozelle in creating an American football league in Europe.<ref name="Origins of the WLAF" /> In 1989, the NFL announced plans to create an international spring football league. The NFL initially wanted the new league to be known as the International Football League, but it had to change the name after discovering that the name was already owned by [[Donald Trump]] and [[Charley Finley]], who were allegedly in the process of forming their own league (which would never come to fruition). The name World League of American Football (WLAF) was eventually settled on; this name was chosen to avoid associating it with the dissolved World Football League, and the term "American football" was included in the league's name because "football" in Europe typically refers to [[association football]], known in the United States as soccer. The NFL and WLAF attempted to downplay its status as a minor league and refused to acknowledge the WLAF as a farm league of the NFL.<ref name="Origins of the WLAF" /> The NFL approved the creation of the WLAF in July 1989, with Schramm to head up the project and the league expected to begin play in 1990 or 1991.<ref name="New League, New Lands" /> The league was expected to have 12 teams (six in the United States, four in Europe, one in [[Canada]] and one in [[Mexico]]),<ref name="World League To Get TV Money">{{cite web|url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19900206/1054580/world-league-to-get-tv-money|title=World League To Get TV Money|date=February 6, 1990|work=[[The Seattle Times]]|access-date=August 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000456/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19900206&slug=1054580|archive-date=March 4, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> and it secured a two-year television deal with [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] and a four-year television deal with [[USA Network]] to air regular and post-season games.<ref name="NFL Europe League Chronology">{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/europa/history|title=NFL Europe League Chronology|work=[[National Football League|NFL.com]]|access-date=August 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719011048/http://www.nfl.com/europa/history|archive-date=July 19, 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> Schramm was fired as league president in October 1990 due to differences between him and the NFL as to the direction the WLAF would take; Schramm had wanted the WLAF to be an "independent, major international league which would be strong enough to stand on its own feet", while the NFL had wanted the WLAF to be a small league with close ties to the NFL.<ref name="Fired Schramm: Nfl Narrowed Its View Of The World">{{cite web|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1990-10-13/sports/9002190392_1_world-league-tex-schramm-nfl|title=Fired Schramm: NFL Narrowed Its View Of The World|last=Bricker|first=Charles|date=October 12, 1990|work=[[Sun-Sentinel]]|access-date=August 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222658/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1990-10-13/sports/9002190392_1_world-league-tex-schramm-nfl|archive-date=March 3, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:WLAF.png|thumb|left|The first logo of the WLAF.]]
On November 14, 1990, the WLAF announced it would begin play in 1991 with ten teams (six of them in the United States, three of them in Europe, and one in Canada) split into three divisions (North America West, North America East, and Europe). A 50-game schedule stretching from March 23, 1991, to May 27, 1991, was agreed upon, and a draft was held from February 14, 1991, to February 24, 1991.<ref name="NFL Europe League Chronology" /> Unlike the NFL draft, the World League draft was a position-by-position draft – potential draftees were divided into ten position groups, meaning each of the ten teams would have the number-one pick at a position group. All players were to receive a base salary of $20,000, but players could receive more money by meeting performance-based incentives with a maximum total salary of $100,000.<ref name="WLAF Will Succeed With Tight Rein on Dollar, League President Believes">{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-02-13-sp-1341-story.html|title=WLAF Will Succeed With Tight Rein on Dollar, League President Believes|date=February 13, 1991|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=August 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528015156/http://articles.latimes.com/1991-02-13/sports/sp-1341_1_tight-end|archive-date=May 28, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Each NFL team could allocate up to four players to the WLAF, although only two, the [[New Orleans Saints]] and [[Kansas City Chiefs]] opted to do so.<ref name="W.L.A.F. Seasoning in the Sun">{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/05/sports/football-wlaf-seasoning-in-the-sun.html|title=W.L.A.F. Seasoning in the Sun|last=Thomas|first=George|date=May 5, 1991|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=August 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528025341/http://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/05/sports/football-wlaf-seasoning-in-the-sun.html|archive-date=May 28, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>