Before The League (2015)

Genre

documentary television film

Country

United States

How it feels

This documentary series covers the early history of professional American football before the NFL existed. It explains the sport's evolution from rugby and highlights the small Ohio towns and early teams that shaped the game.

informativenostalgiceducationalpacedhistoricalreverentdetailedcelebratory

What happens

Before The League is a documentary series on the history of professional American football that ultimately became the NFL. The series debuted at the Pro Football Hall of Fame on October 27, 2015. The film is broken into a six parts which tell the story of the evolution from rugby to the formation and creation of the American Professional Football Association in 1920. The series aired on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel on November 17 and 18, 2015. The series was awarded several times including in the prestigious Emmy Awards and national Telly Awards in 2016. Before The League director and executive producer Jason Pheister and lead writer and executive producer Alison Momeyer, were each awarded Emmys for their roles. In total, the series received three Emmy Awards, five Emmy nominations, and five Telly Awards. The series examines how small towns like Canton and Massillon, Ohio were the blueprint for fielding early pro football teams as well as fostering healthy rivalries. As precursors to the current day NFL, teams like the Akron Pros, Dayton Triangles, Columbus Panhandles, Portsmouth Spartans, Ironton Tanks, Shelby Blues, Oorang Indians, Rochester Jeffersons, Buffalo All-Americans, Milwaukee Badgers, and Green Bay Packers laid the groundwork for the successes of today's big city NFL teams. The series focuses mainly on the Ohio League, the NFL's most immediate predecessor, while also making note of other regional teams and circuits such as the western Pennsylvania conference and New York Pro Football League. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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