1974 World Football League Media Guide

World Football League (1974-1975)

Tombstone

Formed: October 1973
Disbanded: October 22, 1975

First Game: July 10, 1974
Last Game: October 19, 1975

Seasons: 1.5
States: 13
(AL, CA, FL, HI, IL, LA, MI, NC, NY, OR, PA, TN, TX)

Leadership

President:

  • October 1973 – October 1974: Gary Davidson

Executive Director:

  • October 1974 – November 1974: Don Regan

President:

  • November 1974 – October 1975: Chris Hemmeter

Attendance

Trophy Case

World Football League Most Valuable Player

YEARPLAYERPOSITIONTEAM
1974*Tony AdamsQuarterbackSouthern California Sun
1974*J.J. JenningsRunning BackMemphis Southmen
1974*Tommy ReamonRunning BackFlorida Blazers
1975No AwardLeague Disbanded MidseasonN/A

*Adams, Jennings and Reamon were named co-MVP’s of the league in 1974.

 

Our Favorite Stuff

World Football League
1974 Logo T-Shirt

 The WFL was perhaps the most ambitious and least successful of the various “challenger” leagues that sprang up in the early 1970’s to rival the supremacy of the NFL, NBA and NHL. Unlike the similarly motivated American Basketball Association and the World Hockey Association, the WFL failed to force a merger and it would collapse midway through its second season.  
This distressed design is available in sizes Small through 3XL and can also be ordered as a Hooded or Crewneck Sweatshirt from our friends at Old School Shirts!
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Background

The World Football League was a disastrous attempt to set up a fall-season rival to the National Football League in the mid-1970’s.  League founder Gary Davidson was involved in both the American Basketball Association and the World Hockey Association start-ups, both of which similarly sought to challenge the hegemony of the established major leagues.  The WFL succeeded in persuading dozens of NFL stars to jump leagues, largely because the NFL had no free agency and the presence of a rival league created the only leverage that most players had in contract negotiations.  Many of the NFL stars who signed “futures” contracts with the WFL never actually made the jump, as the under-capitalized WFL franchises began shutting down almost as soon as they launched.

The World Football League lost an estimated $20 million during its first season of play in 1974.  The league attempted to mount a second season, but folded on October 22nd, 1975 without managing to complete the regular season.  During its short and tumultuous history the WFL was plagued with midseason shutdowns and franchise relocations, which has made its obscure memorabilia appealing to a certain kind of collector.

 

Trivia

The last active World Football League player in the National Football League was long-time Dallas Cowboys quarterback Danny White. White, who played for the WFL’s Memphis Southmen in 1974 and 1975, took his final NFL snap for the Cowboys in 1988.

 

World Football League Franchises

FRANCHISEYEARS ACTIVEWORLD BOWL CHAMPIONS
Birmingham Americans19741974
Birmingham Vulcans1975Never
Charlotte Hornets1974-1975Never
Chicago Fire1974Never
Chicago Winds1975Never
Detroit Wheels1974Never
Florida Blazers1974Never
The Hawaiians1974-1975Never
Houston Texans1974Never
Jacksonville Express1975Never
Jacksonville Sharks1974Never
Memphis Southmen1974-1975Never
New York Stars1974Never
Philadelphia Bell1974-1975Never
Portland Storm1974Never
Portland Thunder1975Never
San Antonio Thunder1975Never
Shreveport Steamer1974-1975Never
Southern California Sun1974-1975Never

 

World Football League Shop

 

 

WIFFLE: The Wild, Zany and Sometimes Hilariously True Story of the World Football League
by Mark Speck
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Comments

4 Responses

  1. I was a Pom Pom girl on the Chicago Fire Football league and I looking for photo’s. All the photos I had went missing. I also still have my uniform and pom poms that I am willing to sell.

    Thanks
    Jeanne McNulty Carroll

  2. Hey Guys, I made the specialty team on kick off’s ran a 4.2 &4.1
    40. I’m not mentioned anywhere rooster etc. Please just list me somewhere. Not so good memories. Larry and Paul just came on board.I was out of Atlanta. with Jim Morton and Jimmy Tally.
    I appreciate anything you can do. Victor Von Hardin 73-74. I played
    Monster “Outside Linebacker”.6’2 221. Birmingham Americans
    Von Hardin
    706-580-3968
    [email protected]

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