The National Women's Football Association (NWFA) was a full-contact American football league for women headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. The league was founded by Catherine Masters in 2000, as the two benchmark teams, the Alabama Renegades and the Nashville Dream played each other six times in exhibition games. The opening season was in 2001 featuring ten teams. The NWFA did not officially field any teams for the 2009 season.
The NWFA was originally called the National Women's Football League, but changed its name after the 2002 season. The name change came after pressure from the National Football League. The NFL also required the league to change the logos of some teams whose logos resembled those of NFL teams.
League founder Catherine Masters was inducted into the American Football Association's Semi Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
League rules NWFA teams played according to standard National Football League rules with the following notable exceptions:
TDY-sized football only one foot in-bounds is required for a reception no blocking below the waist downfield
List of teams
Team Post-2009 status Notes Alabama Renegades joined IWFL became the Tennessee Valley Tigers Antelope Valley Bombers defunct Arizona Wildfire defunct Asheville Assault defunct Atlanta Leopards defunct Austin Outlaws joined WFA Baltimore Burn joined WSFL Chattanooga Locomotion joined IWFL Cincinnati Sizzle joined WFA Cleveland Fusion joined WFA Clinton County Chaos joined WSFL Columbus Comets joined WFA Connecticut Crushers joined IWFL D.C. Divas joined WFA Dayton Diamonds joined WFA Detroit Danger, Detroit Demolition joined IWFL East Texas SaberKats joined WFA had planned to play in NWFA for 2009 Emerald Coast Barracudas joined WFA Erie Illusion joined IWFL Evansville Express defunct Fort Wayne Flash joined WFA Gulf Coast Herricanes defunct H-Town Texas Cyclones joined WFA Indiana Thunder defunct Indianapolis Chaos defunct Iowa Thunder joined WSFL Jacksonville Dixie Blues joined WFA had planned to play in NWFA for 2009 Jersey Justice joined IWFL had planned to play in NWFA for 2009 Junction City Jaguars defunct Kansas City Krunch defunct Kentucky Karma joined WFA Keystone Assault joined WFA had planned to play in NWFA for 2009 Knoxville Summit defunct Knoxville Tornadoes defunct Lone Star Mustangs joined WFA had planned to play in NWFA for 2009 Los Angeles Amazons joined IWFL Maine Freeze defunct Marana She-Devils joined WFA had planned to play in NWFA for 2009 Memphis Belles joined WFA Minnesota Vixen joined IWFL Missouri Phoenix joined WSFL renamed as the Kansas Phoenix Modesto Maniax joined IWFL Muscle Shoals SmasHers defunct Nashville Dream defunct New Jersey Titans joined WFA New Orleans Blaze joined WFA New York Nemesis joined IWFL Oklahoma City Lightning joined WFA Pensacola Power joined WFA became the Gulf Coast Riptide Philadelphia Phoenix joined IWFL now the Philadelphia Firebirds Phoenix Prowlers joined WFA Pittsburgh Force joined WFA had planned to play in NWFA for 2009 Pittsburgh Passion joined IWFL Richmond Dream defunct Roanoke Revenge defunct Rochester Raptors defunct South Bend GoldenHawks defunct St. Louis Slam joined WFA Tennessee Venom defunct Tidewater Floods defunct Tree Town Spitfire defunct Ventura Black Widows joined WSFL had planned to play in NWFA for 2009 West Michigan Mayhem joined WFA West Virginia Bruisers joined WSFL had planned to play in NWFA for 2009 West Virginia Wonders joined WSFL became the West Virginia Wildfire Wisconsin Riverters defunct IWFL = Independent Women's Football League WFA = Women's Football Alliance WSFL = Women's Spring Football League
Championship games 2001 Philadelphia Liberty Belles 40, Pensacola Power 7 2002 Detroit Danger 48, Massachusetts Mutiny 30 2003 Detroit Demolition 28, Pensacola Power 21 2004 Detroit Demolition 52, Oklahoma City Lightning 0 2005 Detroit Demolition 74, Pensacola Power 0 2006 D.C. Divas 28, Oklahoma City Lightning 7 2007 Pittsburgh Passion 32, Columbus Comets 0 2008 H-Town Texas Cyclones 39, West Michigan Mayhem 10
See also Women's football in the United States Women's American football List of leagues of American football Women's National Basketball Association
References
External links American Football Association