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FRANKFURT, Germany (June 29, 2007) -- The NFL's development league in Europe has ended with immediate effect, spokesman Maik Matischak said.
The decision came less than a week after the Hamburg Sea Devils beat the Frankfurt Galaxy 37-28 in World Bowl XV in Frankfurt, attended by 48,125.
The league, most recently known as NFL Europa, began in 1991.
In the league's final three seasons, five of its six teams were based in Germany, with the Amsterdam Admirals completing the field.
A statement posted on the German-language edition of the NFL's Web site said the National Football League decided to concentrate its "strategies and resources" on regular-season games outside the United States in an effort to reach as many people as possible.
"We thank our fans for the great support in the past years," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was quoted as saying in the statement.
By scheduling regular-season NFL games outside the United States, it was time to develop a new international strategy, Goodell said, adding that folding NFL Europa was the "best business decision."
"From now on, we will focus on regular-season games and use new technologies to make NFL more popular worldwide," he said.
NFL team owners decided in October to play up to two regular-season games outside the United States.
The first such game will be Oct. 28 in London between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants.
NFL Europa managing director Uwe Bergheim said the league had succeeded in establishing a fan base for football in important European markets.
"Despite the great support of fans, business partners and the cities where we were active, we decided that it was time to change the strategy," Bergheim said.
The league began in 1991 as WLAF, or the World League of American Football, with 10 teams from the United States and Europe.
After closing down for two seasons in 1993 and 1994, the league returned with six European teams, spreading from Great Britain to Spain, and retained the same format until the end.
The league was used by NFL teams to test young talent and produced players such as quarterback Kurt Warner, who led the St. Louis Rams to the Super Bowl XXXIV championship and won two NFL Most Valuable Player awards; Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme; and Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri, a two-time Pro Bowl pick.
But the league was reportedly losing about $30 million a season.
The decision came less than a week after the Hamburg Sea Devils beat the Frankfurt Galaxy 37-28 in World Bowl XV in Frankfurt, attended by 48,125.
The league, most recently known as NFL Europa, began in 1991.
In the league's final three seasons, five of its six teams were based in Germany, with the Amsterdam Admirals completing the field.
A statement posted on the German-language edition of the NFL's Web site said the National Football League decided to concentrate its "strategies and resources" on regular-season games outside the United States in an effort to reach as many people as possible.
"We thank our fans for the great support in the past years," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was quoted as saying in the statement.
By scheduling regular-season NFL games outside the United States, it was time to develop a new international strategy, Goodell said, adding that folding NFL Europa was the "best business decision."
"From now on, we will focus on regular-season games and use new technologies to make NFL more popular worldwide," he said.
NFL team owners decided in October to play up to two regular-season games outside the United States.
The first such game will be Oct. 28 in London between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants.
NFL Europa managing director Uwe Bergheim said the league had succeeded in establishing a fan base for football in important European markets.
"Despite the great support of fans, business partners and the cities where we were active, we decided that it was time to change the strategy," Bergheim said.
The league began in 1991 as WLAF, or the World League of American Football, with 10 teams from the United States and Europe.
After closing down for two seasons in 1993 and 1994, the league returned with six European teams, spreading from Great Britain to Spain, and retained the same format until the end.
The league was used by NFL teams to test young talent and produced players such as quarterback Kurt Warner, who led the St. Louis Rams to the Super Bowl XXXIV championship and won two NFL Most Valuable Player awards; Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme; and Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri, a two-time Pro Bowl pick.
But the league was reportedly losing about $30 million a season.
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