Fansided

American Football league in China slated for 2015

By Cory Buck

Jan 18, 2014; Carson, CA, USA; National team members after the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl game at StubHub Center. The National team defeated the American team 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 18, 2014; Carson, CA, USA; National team members after the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl game at StubHub Center. The National team defeated the American team 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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American Football has primarily been isolated to, well, America as far as popularity and interest are concerned. Sure, there’s been a game in London and a game in Toronto for a while now, but neither seem to attract a frenzied crowd the way it does in the States. One man is hoping to change that by bringing an American football league to China, where he estimates 9 million American football fans reside.

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The New York Times reports that Marty Judge, co-owner of the Arena Football League’s Philadelphia Soul, “said he had an agreement with Chinese authorities to launch the China American Football League in conjunction with the Chinese Rugby Football Association.”

The league would reportedly start in August 2015 with six to eight teams joining in for the inaugural season. China has plenty of arenas, but few stadiums, which is why the indoor game will be touted overseas.

“There is no appetite for N.F.L.-style football in China,” Judge said. “The billionaires in China don’t have enough professional basketball and soccer teams to purchase.”

Ron Jaworski, co-owner of the Philadelphia Soul, added, “What we’re finding in our research is that there are many Chinese players in the States, maybe not at Michigan or Ohio State but some high-caliber players at lower-level colleges who, as they hear about us, would like to play.”

They have the player interest. They have the fan interest. Now, they just need to start making some money off the idea. If Judge and Jaworski can do that with American football in China, they’ll have struck a gold mine that would be sure to attract more teams and more businesspeople eager to buy up franchises.

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