Having recently written about the Australian football code in the Pacific and possible expansion of the main leagues in Australia, I decided to look into the game further afield for the benefit of the curious. In the first part I’d like to take a look at the game in the Americas, with a particular focus on the United States and Canada.
It should be stressed this article is about presenting information readily available from various sources, it is not about AFL expansions, it is not about dominating over other codes. This article should not be construed as comparing Australian football’s development with other sports.
Canada
Canadians received the then VFL enthusiastically in 1987 with a record overseas crowd of 37,000 in Vancouver for a Melbourne versus Sydney match. A second exhibition match that year between Melbourne and North Melbourne in Vancouver attracted more than 7000 people. This was the first real attempt by the Australian code to showcase the game in North America, and the large Vancouver crowd remains a record for any Australian football match overseas.
The Canadian Australian Football League commenced operations in 1989 with two clubs. The oldest league in North America is the Ontario Australian Football league, which today features an eleven team league, playing a 14 match regular season. The Alberta league has the largest womens league in Canada with four womens teams. The British Columbia league benefits from the largest junior Australian football program. In total there are 21 Australian football teams in Canada, and an additional six womens teams. All leagues in Canada are overseen by AFL Canada, who administers the Canadian national team, the Northwind, composed entirely of Canadian nationals.
The Northwind play an annual match against a United states team, the Revolution, known as the 49th parallel cup. A record crowd of 2500 watched this match in 2007 in Vancouver. Canada competed in the inaugural International Australian Football Cup in 2002, and have attended every Cup since placing 9th (out of 11), 7th (from 10), and 6th (from 16). Canada have played 16 matches in the competition, having won 6 and lost 10. They are currently ranked seventh in the world – not including Australia.
The 2007 Australian Football League international census shows 15 senior teams, 12 junior teams, and 825 registered players. Auskick type programns in Canada are known as Cankick.
In 2008, Mike Pike a Canadian born rugby union player was selected as an international rookie, and in 2010 began playing senior football as a ruckman with the Sydney Swans, playing out a successful season, including two finals in 2010. Mike Pyke played Rugby Union for the Canadian national team, playing in 17 matches, including a match against the All Blacks in 2007 where he reportedly ran the length of the field to score a try. In 2006, Pyke played Rugby Union for French Top 14 side, US Montauban. He has now played 24 games in the AFL.
United States
Exhibition matches were played in the United States as early as 1963 when Geelong played Melbourne in front of 3500 people in San Francisco. Four more exhibition matches have been played since, twice in Miami, once in Portland and once in Los Angeles. The match in Portland between Melbourne and West Coast has been the highest attended Australian football match in the United States to date, with more than 14,000 people at the game.
The first game between US based clubs took place in 1996, between Cincinnati and Louisville, and resulted in the formation of the Mid American Australian Football League. Today, it has 12 teams in two divisions and is an 18 a side based competition. Wikipedia claims this as a semi professional league, however I’ve been unable to verify this elsewhere. The USAFL today oversees 36 clubs in various leagues around the country. The 2009 USAFL annual report claims teams played more than 250 sanctioned matches in 2008, and more than 2700 matches since 1997.
Metro Footy was developed in the United States as a means to combat the chronic shortage of Australian football sized grounds, as well as to allow more competitive football without the need for a full sized Australian rules team. These are typically nine a side matches played on grid iron or soccer fields, with some field movement restrictions in place. Forwards and backs must remain within a given territory while midfielders may roam the field. If you are familiar with netball rules, then you’ll understand how this works. Metro footy teams feed into the larger Australian football teams, and players participate in the USAFL National Championships.
The USAFL National Championships have been held since 1998, and is currently claimed as the largest Australian football tournament held anywhere in the world for sheer number of teams involved. The first nationals featured five teams, the 2010 tournament featured 30 mens teams and eight womens teams. The Championships involve three mens divisions and a womens division.
All leagues in the United States are overseen by the USAFL, who administers the national squads, including the Revolution (mens) and Freedom (womens). The Revolution have competed in every International Australian Football Cup since 2002, placing fifth (from 11), third (from 10th) and seventh (from 16th). The United States is currently ranked fourth in the world, having won 11, and lost six from its 17 matches at the tournament. The Freedom toured Australia in 2008, losing all four matches.
The 2007 Australian Football league International census shows the United States had 2000 registered players. It is currently the stated goal of the USAFL to reach 10,000 players within ten years and be the best amateur league outside of Australia. Auskick type programs in the United States are typically known as Footykids and recently “Saturday Morning Footy”.
United States born players to feature in the AFL include former West Coast Eagle dual premiership winner Don Pyke, and former Sydney Swan Sanford Wheeler. Wheeler was the first African-American player to play in the AFL. Collingwood have selected a US basketballer, Seamus McNamara as their international rookie for 2010/2011. McNamara played college basketball and professional basketball in Germany.
South America
Australian football was first played in Argentina in 1997, consisting of three teams, primarily made up of rugby union players. There are now four sides, each with an under 19’s team. Argentina played Chile in an international match in 2008. A Convicts tour were scheduled for 2006 but were canceled, however the Convicts were scheduled to tour in 2010. Argentina have not competed at the International Cup. Australian Football in Argentina is governed by the Argentine Australian Football Association.
Australian football in Brazil appears to consist entirely of a team of mainly expatriate Australians. The code first appeared in Chile in 2002, as part of a marketing program by a Chilean business to introduce and make money from new sports in the country. The sport is confined mainly to the expatriate community, although several students who have studied in Australia have displayed an interest.
Players from South America who have played Australian Football at the top level include former North Melbourne player Jose Romero (Chile), and presently Collingwood premiership player Harry O’Brien (Brazil).
Conclusion
Australian Football has come a long way in North America since 1989. It does, however, have a long way to go before its taken seriously. The stated aims of the USAFL would be awesome to see fulfilled. From a code perspective, it’s great to see regular competition between nations, even at this level. With dominant indigenous leagues in American and Canadian football, it will never be the first choice sport of the growing male, particularly as people with the right Australian football skill sets can slot nicely into the American codes as demonstrated by a number of Australians playing in the NFL.
The great news story out of North America is without a doubt Mike Pyke. An international rugby union player converting to Australian rules is virtually unheard of, but a Canadian one to boot? And not just converting but being a successful convert at the highest level. It gives us great hope for the likes of Karmicheal Hunt and Israel Folau in their own code switches.
worldfooty
Guest
Pretty much agree. We started to notice there were the right AFL people involved around 2005 but it has taken them time to win support within the AFL and the community. A slow process but it has been steadily upwards since at least 2005. Fortunately there was a base there for them to work with thanks to expats and interested international folk.
Baboon
Guest
So it's a 'fact' because it was listen on Wikipedia? You're kidding mate! The stadium the match was supposedly played at isn't even big enough to host a game of AFL!
Baboon
Guest
You're using Wikipedia as a reference? Sorry, but that makes your entire article look like a joke. Also, I've never been able to find one shred of evidence that an AFL game drew 37,000 people in Vancouver - and there's never been a ground in that city that can hold both an AFL-sized field and 37,000 people! You might want to go back and check a few of your facts, rather than simply copying and pasting from a bunch of unreferenced Wiki articles.
djfrobinson
Guest
Republican. Where do you get this idea that New Zealanders are hostile towards Australia? You've made a big song and dance with your New Zealand hates Australia thinking isn't it time for you to back it up with some facts don't you think. WorldFooty - As I pointed out because it’s not Aussie Rules the game I have issues with but the AFL and the way AFL refuses to live peacefully in whatever demographic its attempting to move into if Aussie Rules wants to try and get kiwi kids to play it in New Zealand let them play I honestly do not think the game will take off in NZ because it does not offer kiwi kids to be the one thing that 99% of them want to be an All Black. I also think there is room for AFL and RU. Myleftfoot In direct answer to your question – I don’t care if volleyball, tennis, hockey, soccer, or softball wants to move into the pacific, each of those sports quietly grows their brand, promotes their sport without attempting to change the status quo. Rugby Union is the biggest brand in town when it comes to the Island nations, with the majority of those nations preferring to the sport to all others (except PNG). Why should RU sit by and do nothing while AFL attempts to push it out of town?
Republican
Guest
I'm an Aust Footy supporter djf as you well know and on the contrary, I don't want our game to ever go to NZ and that would probably be so of most Aust Footy supporters who are only ignorant to the insidious revolution that is taking place at the highest echelons of the AFL. It would be a grave mistake and a farcical commercial move on the AFL's part and those supporters of wfn's persuason, the rowdy minority I might add, who's ego would drive them to force our great game into going head to head with League, Soccer and Union by competing in that market. We do not need to, it's really that simple. You see, NZ is the only option as far any expansion regionally, in affording it sudo international status, commercially speaking however, unlike the codes already competing for the hearts and minds of the sport obsessed Kiwi collective, our code taking this path to growth would present as the most cynical and irresponsible of all those brands that have gone befor it in this respect. NZ's stark lack of local talent as well as an acutely hostile and indifferent attitude towards Australia and its culture in general, surely renders any such idea as irresponsible and negligent on the part of the codes governing body? Add to that the excess bleeding of the local demographics that would necessitate the manufacturing of anything remotely competitive by plonking an organisation of totally Australian personal, from the ground up, I question whether or not Kiwis would be that impressionable in embracing such a transparently cynical commercial illusion. At least with League and Soccer, NZ have managed to contribute some tribal element to their elite sides, however this would unlikely EVER be realised in the case of our gave. Cheers
Art Sapphire
Guest
Answer to your question - next time you see QED. Resist replying QED :)
worldfooty
Guest
Two lines there from you, the first makes no sense (yes I did reply, I said I was) and the second is completely wrong (splitting hairs is when there's a small difference, whereas you took my meaning and interpreted it the complete opposite). Are you not reading before replying or are you just bored and trying to string this thread out? Perhaps next you can reply with "I know you are but what am I?"
Art Sapphire
Guest
worldfooty - you replied all the same thanks for providing such a fine example of "splitting hairs" :)
worldfooty
Guest
Art Sapphire, I didn't say I resisted replying. I said "I'd resist replying but...". That is short for "I would resist but...".
Art Sapphire
Guest
Resisted replying, but you did. kovana summed it up pretty Dawinian theory pretty well. He forgot his QED :) Curiously, it was an AFL crusader who brought the whole thing up. I'm an Essendon supporter, by the way. I could not care where the game was exported. It's not relevant to most supporters. I'd rather see Essendon win another premiership.
worldfooty
Guest
I'd resist replying but that QED was too unjustified to leave hanging. I don't see any correlation between the current state of Aussie Rules around Australia and the world, and the highly specified animals on the small group of Galapagos. I know it was a throw away line, but really. Applying Darwin's theory and the experience of the dinosaurs, any code may go extinct. In fact, applying what we know about species, there's very few that will stay the same. In 1000 years if humans are still running a decent civilisation (and given our rate of population growth and rate of consumption, that's by no means certain), then which sports will survive is quite unpredictable, and most that do survive will look radically different, and only maybe 1 or 2 will be like crocodiles, remaining almost unchanged. Bottom line for Aussie Rules is that it's starting a long way behind a lot of other sports and we know that, but its rate of growth in the last 10 years has been very encouraging for those of us that want to see it grow and spread. Lovers of other sports can dislike it, they can add up the numbers and say they aren't as good as other sports, they can deny a specific statistic here or there, they can pounce on the occasional rant of someone uninformed or overly optimistic, but the one inescapable reality is that the curve is going up, and that's all we're really looking for.
Art Sapphire
Guest
Galapagos Islands would be perfect for the AFL expansion - QED
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
Some species adapt very well to narrow geographical regions, and become quite successful through their specific adaptations. Curiously, the dinosaurs were spread right across the globe, and were a successful order of animals before they universally met their sticky end. The twists and turns of evolution can be quite surprising.
Art Sapphire
Guest
Applying Darwin's theory to football codes means the AFL might go the way of the dodo. Which is why the AFL's saving grace is that its seen as a religion in some parts :)
kovana
Roar Pro
Thats what i was aiming for.... So... Soccer can be seen as the most successful species due to its ability to be easily accepted in any environment.. Its a perfect beast.
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
Darwin's The Origin of the Species applied to football codes.
kovana
Roar Pro
Yes footy... I find less animosity between RU and AFL folk then RL and RU fans. I believe AFL and RU can peacefully co-exist since they are 2 entirely different games....... Which means each code can survive and grow. This is why i find that there is a big animosity between both Rugby and league.. They are SIMILAR.. No matter how you spin it.. they are similar... in the end, you cant have 2 VERY similar species living side by side.. They will both battle it out to try and occupy that same marketplace. Just my thoughts.
worldfooty
Guest
While djfrobinson I think your comments are quite reasonable, in reality I think RU and AF can coexist in the islands, probably with RU dominant, but kids that have the body shape slightly more suited to Aussie Rules (broadly let's say taller, thinner) will simply get the chance to try for AFL if they don't make it at elite RU. So it's a win-win for the islands.
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
dj The rugby codes don't own the Pacific region like some sort of birthright. They have an excellent presence, and that won't change, but it's folly to say that no sport should try and become known in any given region. Are you writing up posts to ward off volleyball, tennis, hockey, broomball and softball?
djfrobinson
Guest
MyLeftFoot and Worldfooty I do not begrudge you the desire, or attempt to spread the word of your game around the world. I wish you good luck in this goal. Yes Rugby Internationals are an important part of the calendar for us union followers but be warned with a extended line of competition you will hurt AFL in Australia. Union discovered this the hard way when it went professional, our calendar goes from Feb to December with too much rugby being played, die hard rugby union supporters now pick and choose which games they will watch rather than just watching all games like they used too with international games taking priority over provincial or super games. Final Word - I do not have an issue with Aussie Rules the game, it's not my cup of tea but do not begrudge anyone who wants to follow it their due. My issue is directly with the AFL which through their expansion ideology is not prepared to be second best to any other sport and acts like it’s obligated to "remove" any and all competition. AFL is slowly trying to expand into Rugby Union and Rugby League strongholds (the Pacific Islands and New Zealand) the sport is going to bump heads with its bigger rivals which in my opinion is going to cause all sorts of headaches. I personally would rather not see a massive code war, like NSW, happening all over the pacific. Unfortunately for our area of the world we have a low population level and a high demand for super-sports so it’s going to be a case of a massive clash of codes, re: NSW, or the codes are going to simply accept their relative positions and get along. If Football and Union can get co-operate on an global scale, then it should be easy for AFL, NRL, Union and Football to nut out a agreement.