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The World Football League was an American
football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975.
The WFL had several important rules differences from the NFL of that time:
- Touchdowns were worth 7 points, instead of 6.
- Conversions, called "action points", could only be scored via a run or pass play, and were worth one
point.
- Kickoffs were from the 30-yard line instead of the 35. The NFL later moved its kickoffs back to the 30.
- Receivers needed only one foot in bounds for a legal pass reception, instead of two feet in the NFL of then and now. College
and high school football have always used the one-foot rule.
- Bump-and-run pass coverage was outlawed once a receiver was 3 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. The NFL later adopted this
rule, with a 5-yard bump zone.
- The goalposts were placed at the end line (the back of the end zone). At that time, college football goalposts were at the
end line, but the NFL had its goalposts at the goal line. A few years later, the NFL moved its posts back to the end line.
- Missed field goals were returned to the line of scrimmage or the 20-yard line, whichever was farther from the goal line. The
NFL later adopted this rule, and still later moved the spot back to the point of the kick.
- The hash marks were in line with the goalposts. At the time, the hash marks in all levels of football divided the field into
thirds. After the demise of the WFL, the NFL moved its hash marks to be parallel with the goalposts, and college football moved
them in by a lesser amount.
- A player in motion was allowed to move toward the line of scrimmage before the snap, as long as he was behind the line of
scrimmage at the snap. This rule has never been used at any level of outdoor American football, but was (and still is) part of
Canadian football. Later, this rule was adopted in arena football.
- Punt returners were prohibited from using the fair catch. This rule also came from Canadian football, which still uses
it.
- Penalties for offensive holding and ineligible receiver downfield were 10 yards, instead of 15. Several years later, these
became 10-yard penalties at all levels of football. Still later, the ineligible receiver penalty was changed to 5 yards (with
loss of down).
- Its original overtime system was like nothing used in any form of American football before or since; it was far more similar
to the system long used in international soccer. Overtime in
the regular season was one fixed 15-minute period, divided into two halves of 7-1/2 minutes, each starting with a kickoff by one
of the teams. The complete overtime was always played; there was no "sudden death" feature. In 1975, the WFL changed its overtime
to the 15-minute sudden-death period then (as now) used in the NFL.
Teams
- Birmingham Americans 1974/Birmingham Vulcans 1975
- Chicago Fire
1974/Chicago Winds 1975
- Detroit Wheels 1974
- Washington-Baltimore Ambassadors/ Virginia
Ambassadors/Florida Blazers 1974/San Antonio Wings 1975
- (Honolulu) The Hawaiians 1974-75
- Houston Texans 1974/Shreveport Steamer 1974-75
- Jacksonville Sharks 1974/Jacksonville Express 1975
- Memphis Southmen (had started out as the Toronto Northmen, but moved to Memphis, Tennessee before the start of the season) 1974-1975/ Memphis Grizzlies 1975 ("official" team change name to
Grizzlies after league folded in attempt to join the NFL).
- Boston Bulls/New York Stars 1974/Charlotte Stars 1974/Charlotte
Hornets 1974-75
- Philadelphia Bell 1974-75
- Portland Storm
1974/Portland Thunder
1975
- Southern
California Sun 1974-75
1974 World Bowl
- Birmingham Americans 22-21 Florida Blazers
1975 Champions
- Birmingham was declared the 1975 champions at the time the league folded.
See List of leagues of
American football
External Links
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