Everything is Here
NAAF BLOGSPOT
SCOUTING REPORTS - Submit Players Here
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Welcome Everyone,

Quick Introduction: I am a huge fan of building fictional sports leagues (much like assume a lot of people here) and I had come up with this idea for a hybrid version of gridiron football that would combine the American and Canadian rules. So, that brings me here. *Side note* I am going to do my best with the writing and storytelling which I will get more into later in this post, and I am still just starting to learn Illustrator (thinking this is a good way to learn it) so my designs are a bit rough or simple form the start.

Origins of Gridiron Football and the NAAF
During the early part of the 1900s, Canadian and American colleges began to play hybrid football games against each other that merged the two different rule styles. The games continued throughout but it wasn’t until following WWII that the official interconnected football organization was formed to bring the sports together at the professional level. Ryan Jameson, an Ottawa native, was a professional level hockey player as well as a football player in college at the University of Ottawa. His dreams of being a star football player were not to be hence his decision to play hockey, but he always had a special passion for football. Over his time playing hockey and connecting with American athletes with a similar passion, he learned the differences between each nation's version of the sport.

During this, Jameson became curious about the idea that they could be combined into one sport. He read up on the earlier college matches that had happened where the rules were mixed and he started to develop his idea. During this time he also returned to hockey and played a couple of seasons with the Ottawa Stars. The time he spent off the ice was devoted to this idea and as he travelled during the season he talked to local football teams, the owners of the Ottawa Stars and the commissioner of his hockey league. Following his 1948 retirement from hockey, Jameson was ready to announce a brand new organization of competitive football. He retired from hockey at the season’s end and became the full-time commissioner of the North American Association of Football (NAAF).

Football before this had some attempts at a nationwide league, but the wars had all but crippled them. After WWII ended it was difficult for the teams to get back into the same competitive level, returning to the regional leagues of before. Ryan Jameson’s journey across to several teams brought upon a new opportunity. Several teams had declined his offer, but enough teams believed in his vision and Ryan was able to pull together 4 teams in Ontario/Quebec and Northeastern USA, as well as the entire New England Football Championship which had contracted to only 3 teams.

From Jameson’s connections, he formed a committee and front office for the league to give strong leadership that would hopefully lead to success in the future. Within this group was

Ryan Jameson - Acting as the NAAF Commissioner and President 

Harold McCallister - Assistant/Co-Commissioner: McCallister is the former commissioner of the New England Football Championship and with his move into the NAAF, Jameson is trusting his experience in running the NEFC to help him do the best job he can in the NAAF. McCallister was on board with the idea for the new version of the sport and the new opportunity sparked a way out of the struggles his competition was going through. John McCallister, Harold’s father, was the founder of the NEFC and had become too old to run the league, so Harold had taken over. John was a passionate football fan all his life and the NEFC was his pride and joy. He had built the league up to one of the best in the world. When Harold took over, he came in with more experience with finance and business than the sport itself and had sparked some struggles that he was having. Harold will hopefully bring financial stability to the league as Jameson focuses more on the game itself.

Fredrick LeFrae - Assistant Commissioner: LeFrae has no experience as a commissioner, but had strong connections in the Ligue de Football du Québec (LFQ). He was seeking higher opportunities within the LFQ but felt that Jameson’s drive and idea was going to be a success. LeFrae also had a connection with Jameson through the U of Ottawa, playing sports together. LeFrae shared Jameson’s passion for the sport and now he wants to help him reach his goals of being the top football league in North America.

The Committee is ever-expanding and has regular meetings with owners and teams within the league to keep things moving in the right direction. Their first action was to set the rules that would be used.

• 3 Downs, for 10 yards (CA)
• 100-yard field (US)
• American Width (US)
• Goal Posts (currently) at Front of the Endzones (Both during the time/CA)
• 15-yard end zones (Hybrid)
• Rouge (Singles) (CA)
• No Yards (5 Yard halo on kicks) (CA)
• No Neutral Zone (No one yard between Defence and Ball on the line) (US)
• 11 Men per side (US)
• No strict formation rules (O-line still can’t move, but all receivers in motion is fine like it is in CFL) (CA)

(The rest of the rules are pretty much the same for both sports so that will remain the same, I wanted to balance it between the two so it's not dominated by one style over the other. If I missed anything let me know).

Ryan Jameson is also all for advancing the sport with new technology and the best equipment. Plastic helmets are already being implemented as well as lighter jersey fabrics for games during the summer months.

As for the season format, the league will play a 10-week schedule with 8 games and 2 byes for each team starting in July and going until October. The top 4 teams at the end of the season would make the playoffs (1v4, 2v3). The winners will meet the following week in the NAAF Championship game. It was also agreed upon that since the entire NEFC would be apart of the NAAF, their trophy would be used as league's prize. 
 

Last edited by Wallflower (1/31/2023 6:24 pm)