NFL Europa Closes Down
NFL Shuts Down European League; Announces Training Camp Schedule
While announcing the NFL training camp schedules, the National Football League also confirms it is shutting down its European football operation.
The National Football League’s NFL Europa is no more.
Hard on the heels of the league announcement of its franchises’ training camp schedule, the National Football League confirmed the disillusion of the 16-year-old league after widespread speculation spanning several years.
The NFL braintrust announced Thursday it was closing the doors of NFL Europa, citing as its rationale annual losses of about $30 million. That in spite of the more than 48,000 fans who attended June’s league championship game that saw the Hamburg Sea Devils beat the Frankfurt Galaxy 37-28 in the World Bowl championship.
Five of the league’s six franchises are located in Germany; the sixth situated in Amsterdam.
Although NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell termed NFL Europa “a success,” he claimed the parent league’s folding of NFL Europa “the best business decision,” according to the Associated Press.
NFL Europa was widely viewed as a minor league operation conducted on behalf of American-based NFL franchises. Among the players it produced were two-time NFL most valuable player Kurt Warner and former Super Bowl MVP Adam Vinatieri.
The most recent negative publicity is something the NFL could’ve done without, as it was preceded by numerous news stories concerning misbehavior on the part of several NFL stars or stars-to-be.
On Thursday, the Miami Dolphins cut defensive lineman Fred Evans after Evans was arrested earlier related to an assault on a police officer. And the Chicago Bears last week announced the release of defensive tackle Tank Johnson in the wake of a traffic stop in suburban Phoenix on speeding and suspected driving-while-impaired charges.
That following in the footsteps of the arrest of Titan cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones on two felony charges in Las Vegas. Jones, who recently was suspended for a year under the new, stricter, NFL player conduct policy, is also sought for questioning in connection with a shooting last week after an altercation at an Atlanta area strip club. Jones had previously pledged he’d change his ways after meeting with Goodell following his suspension.
It appears the NFL and its clubs are taking a dim view of misbehavior on the part of its players. Miami wasted no time before releasing Evans, who’d appeared in 16 games for the Dolphins over the past two seasons.
And the Atlanta Falcon braintrust has to be holding its collective breath awaiting word on federal and state investigations concerning star quarterback Michael Vick involving allegations of dog fighting. Vick met with Goodell last spring, telling the commissioner he had nothing to do with any illegal activities that occurred at his mansion in rural Southeastern Virginia.
With all that in mind, the NFL must be thrilled to have announced its training camp schedule late last week. Defending Super Bowl champs the Indianapolis Colts will convene July 29 at Rose-Hulman Institute in Terre Haute, Ind., while the Chicago Bears will kick off their camp at Olivet Nazarene in Bourbonnais, Ill. on July 26.
