| 1974 Final Standings |
| Eastern Division | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA |
| Florida Blazers ** | 14 | 6 | 0 | .700 | 419 | 280 |
| New York / Charlotte Stars + ^ | 10 | 10 | 0 | .500 | 467 | 350 |
| Philadelphia Bell * | 9 | 11 | 0 | .450 | 493 | 413 |
| Jacksonville Sharks # | 4 | 10 | 0 | .286 | 258 | 358 |
| Central Division | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA |
| Memphis Southmen *** | 17 | 3 | 0 | .850 | 629 | 365 |
| Birmingham Americans * | 15 | 5 | 0 | .750 | 500 | 394 |
| Chicago Fire ~ | 7 | 13 | 0 | .350 | 446 | 602 |
| Detroit Wheels # | 1 | 13 | 0 | .071 | 209 | 358 |
| Western Division | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA |
| Southern California Sun | 13 | 7 | 0 | .650 | 486 | 441 |
| Hawaiians * | 9 | 11 | 0 | .450 | 413 | 422 |
| Portland Storm | 7 | 12 | 1 | .368 | 264 | 426 |
| Houston Texans / Shreveport Steamers @ | 7 | 12 | 1 | .368 | 240 | 415 |
* Wild Card qualifier for playoffs.
** Was originally the Washington-Baltimore and Virginia Ambassadors.
*** Was originally the Toronto Northmen.
+ Was originally Boston Bulls. Started season as New York Stars. Was Charlotte Stars for one game after moving from New York to Charlotte after Sept. 24 game.
^ Operations suspended.
# Operations suspended on Oct. 2 (after 14 games).
~ Operations suspended after 19 games (forfeited 20th game to Philadelphia Bell).
@ Was originally the first Memphis franchise. Started season as Houston Texans. Franchise transferred to Shreveport after Sept. 11 game.
|
1974 League Notes:
Gary Davidson, who earlier created the American Basketball Association and the World Hockey Association, became involved with football this season.
Franchises sold for $100,000 to $500,000.
Franchises in Toronto, Mexico City, Tokyo, and Rome were discussed but did not materialize.
The Memphis Southmen started out as the Toronto Northmen prior to the season's start.
The Detroit Wheels owners filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy on September 24, the same day that the New York Stars were sold from Robert J. Schmertz to Upton Bell, who then moved the Stars south to Charlotte. (For one game, they were called the Charlotte Stars, sporting Chicago Bears decals on their helmets, and for supreme irony, they played at Soldier Field-home of the Bears-against the Chicago Fire.) They were eventually renamed to the Charlotte Hornetts. The Detroit Wheels played 6 more games after the owners declared bankruptcy.
The Houston Texans were transferred to Shreveport on September 18, and were initially called "Louisiana" since no new nickname was given at the time and the "Texans" nickname was dropped. They became officially the Shreveport Steamer on Sept 23, 1974.
The Philadelphia Story: The WFL's credibility suffered badly from the actions of the Philadelphia Bell. The team reported an attendance of 55,534 for its opening game against Portland and then announced 64,719 for its game against New York. Such NFL like figures were calculated to make the older league sit up and take notice. Unfortunately, they were also calculated out of smoke. A club official eventually admitted that the actual paid figures were 13,800 and 6,200. Any others in the stands were "freebies". From then on fans and media looked at any WFL attendance figures with suspicion and former "friendlies" turned wary. The francise shifts and failings that followed underlined the Philadelphia duplicity.
1974 League Rules:
An unconverted touchdown in the W.F.L. was worth seven points.
The conversion, or "action point," added one more point, but the ball had to be run or passed over the goal line -- it could not be kicked.
Also, the W.F.L. anticipated the NFL in providing for an overtime period in games tied after the regulation 60 minutes.
|
| 1975 Final Standings |
| Eastern Division | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA |
| Birmingham Vulcans + | 9 | 3 | 0 | .750 | 257 | 186 |
| Memphis Southmen (Grizzlies) * ^ | 7 | 4 | 0 | .636 | 254 | 206 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 6 | 5 | 0 | .545 | 225 | 199 |
| Jacksonville Express # | 6 | 5 | 0 | .545 | 227 | 247 |
| Philadelphia Bell | 4 | 7 | 0 | .364 | 195 | 237 |
| Western Division | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA |
| So. California Sun | 7 | 5 | 0 | .583 | 354 | 341 |
| San Antonio Wings * ~ | 7 | 6 | 0 | .538 | 364 | 268 |
| Shreveport Steamer | 5 | 7 | 0 | .417 | 276 | 313 |
| Portland Thunder @ | 4 | 7 | 0 | .364 | 213 | 239 |
| Hawaiians | 4 | 7 | 0 | .364 | 210 | 281 |
| Chicago Winds ** | 1 | 4 | 0 | .200 | 67 | 125 |
* First half winner.
+ Was originally Birmingham Americans.
^ Changed nickname after season to Grizzlies in attempt to enter NFL.
# Was originally Jacksonville Sharks.
~ Was originally Florida Blazers.
@ Was originally Portland Storm.
** Franchise suspended prior to season's end.
|
1975 League Notes:
In spite of new big-name N.F.L. talent, the replacement of many of the original teams with new franchises, and a plan dedicating a percentage of total revenue to players' and coaches' salaries, the W.F.L. was not able to complete its projected 18-game schedule.
The Florida Blazers team moved to San Antonio and were renamed San Antonio Wings.
The Chicago Winds team folds after 5 games.
The World Football League folds on October 22, 1975, just 12 games into the season.
No playoffs were held. The League declared the Birmingham Vulcans as 1975 WFL Champions.
1975 League Rules:
A new and unique playoff system had been adopted, in which the seasonal division champion, the remaining team with the best record in the first half-season, and the remaining team with the best record in the second half of the season would enter the playoffs, the overall winner receiving a first-round bye. The playoffs, of course, were never held, as the league folded October 22, two-thirds of the way through the season.
|
