International Football Federation
Encyclopedia
The International Football Federation was a proposed professional American football
league. It had intended to launch in spring 2000, but folded while still in its preliminary stages. It is often considered to be one of the shortest-lived high profile leagues in history, lasting, in the words of one observer, "one press conference."
on June 11, 1999, with Dennis Murphy
(a co-founder of both the American Basketball Association
and World Hockey Association
), League president Edward Litwack, and entertainer Dionne Warwick
involved in its launch.
. The "New York" team would play at Giants Stadium
; Hawaii, the last entry into the league, had plans to play in Aloha Stadium
and was to be owned by entertainment promoter Bob Peyton
.
Rumors had the names "Toronto Turbos" and "Connecticut Yankees" as two of the team names; no other names were announced or leaked.
and Turner Broadcasting but both executives said neither NBC nor Turner would be able to put together a package on such short notice. ESPN
was referred to as a league partner. Litwack ran his own cable television systems that he said could be used for a syndicated package and sold individually to local stations or cable networks. He also said the games could be shown on the internet.
Both NBC and Turner looked toward sponsoring another league, deciding initially to back an entirely new league of their own. NBC eventually put its support behind the XFL
, which took the field in 2001.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
league. It had intended to launch in spring 2000, but folded while still in its preliminary stages. It is often considered to be one of the shortest-lived high profile leagues in history, lasting, in the words of one observer, "one press conference."
League formation and structure
The league was unveiled at a press conference in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on June 11, 1999, with Dennis Murphy
Dennis A. Murphy Trophy
The Dennis A. Murphy Trophy was presented annually to the World Hockey Association's best defenceman.It was named in honour of WHA co-founder Dennis Murphy.Dennis Murphy Trophy Winners*1979 – Rick Ley, New England Whalers...
(a co-founder of both the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
and World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
), League president Edward Litwack, and entertainer Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick is an American singer, actress and TV show host, who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health....
involved in its launch.
Teams
The team intended to field 13 teams at its launch. These teams would be based in New Jersey (ostensibly, like other professional teams in that state, representing New York), Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Denver, two in Los Angeles, Toronto, San Jose, Texas, Hawaii and Connecticut. Warwick would own a share of both Los Angeles teams, at least one of which would have played at the Rose BowlRose Bowl (stadium)
The Rose Bowl is an outdoor athletic stadium in Pasadena, California, U.S., in Los Angeles County. The stadium is the site of the annual college football bowl game, the Rose Bowl, held on New Year's Day. In 1982, it became the home field of the UCLA Bruins college football team of the Pac-12...
. The "New York" team would play at Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
; Hawaii, the last entry into the league, had plans to play in Aloha Stadium
Aloha Stadium
Aloha Stadium is a stadium located in the Halawa CDP, City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. Currently Aloha Stadium is home to the University of Hawaii Warriors football team...
and was to be owned by entertainment promoter Bob Peyton
Bob Peyton
Robert Andrew Peyton is an English former footballer.-Playing career:Peyton played for Chelmsley Town before joining Port Vale as an amateur in January 1972. He appeared as a substitute in a 3–0 defeat at Rotherham United on 18 April 1972, making his full debut at the return match on May 8...
.
Rumors had the names "Toronto Turbos" and "Connecticut Yankees" as two of the team names; no other names were announced or leaked.
Television and radio
The league had preliminary discussions with NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
and Turner Broadcasting but both executives said neither NBC nor Turner would be able to put together a package on such short notice. ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
was referred to as a league partner. Litwack ran his own cable television systems that he said could be used for a syndicated package and sold individually to local stations or cable networks. He also said the games could be shown on the internet.
Both NBC and Turner looked toward sponsoring another league, deciding initially to back an entirely new league of their own. NBC eventually put its support behind the XFL
XFL
The XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of WWE...
, which took the field in 2001.