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HISTORY The sport of Australian Rules Football does not have a long history in the United States, but it has grown explosively as a participation sport since 1996. A lack of exposure and the popularity of American Football in the states ensured that the game of Australian Football remained virtually unknown in the United States for many decades. Emergence from obscurity In 1947, games of Austus , a compromise game between Gridiron and Aussie rules were played in Australia between servicemen of both countries in the Australian city of Geelong . The visiting Americans were reported to be excited by the Australian game. Exhibition matches From the 1960s, several attempts were made to kickstart Aussie Rules interest in the United States. Between the 1960 and 1990s, Victorian Football League Exhibition Matches were played in major US cities. With each game, the crowds and interest gradually grew. In 1965, former Victorian Football League player Colin Ridgeway was recruited by the Dallas Cowboys and played a total of 3 games as a punter. Although he became the first Australian to make such a transition but did not have much impact in the NFL. 1980s - television & ESPN Television was the biggest breakthrough for Aussie Rules Footy in the United States. In the 1980s, sports channel ESPN began televising Australian Rules matches. For many it was the first time they had seen or heard of the sport and it immediately grew a cult following. 1990s - punt into America In 1995, Darren Bennett - former Melbourne Football Club player was recruited by the San Diego Chargers . He went on to become one of the most successful punters in the history of the NFL. His popularity as an ex-Australian also considerably increased the awareness of Australian Rules in the US. Since Bennett, other Aussie Rules players have followed, having a small effect of exposing the Australian game to Americans. :See Also List Of Australian Rules To Gridiron Converts First local games The first match between two local US clubs was played in 1996 between Cincinnati and Louisville . In the first year the Mid American Australian Football League was formed. Many of the local players had found out about the game in the 1980s on television and ESPN. Although the local game grew, ESPN no longer broadcast AFL matches, and in response the lobby group, AFANA was formed. In 1997, the first club national championships were held in Cincinatti. Nashville hosted the first Australian Grand Final Festival in the same year. The United States Australian Football League (USAFL) was formed in 1997 to govern the code in the country. New millenium - international representation and steady growth A national team, the Revolution , formed in 1999 to compete against nearby Canada in the 49th Parallel Cup . The Revolution competed in the 2002 Australian Football International Cup with an All-American side and finished fifth out of eleven countries . In 2002, the Australian Football League began to recognise the potential of the USA as a nursery for potential and began providing a small amount of international funding to the USAFL. An offshoot was the US Footy Kids junior program, with strong similarities to AFL Auskick . In 2005, the Revolution attended the 2005 International Cup finishing finishing third out of ten countries. In 2005, the USAFL struck a deal with the ASTN television station for rights to the game, however although the station has filmed local matches, they have not been televised. In January 2006, a sell-out AFL promotional pre-season match was played in Los Angeles at UCLA between the Kangaroos and league premiers the Sydney Swans . By 2006, the league had grown to around thirty five USAFL clubs, with many more local Metro Footy leagues and 9-a-side teams consisting of around 2,000 players and around 60% American. Aussie rules in U.S. schools =College Aussie rules In 2001, the first college Aussie Rules club began in Vanderbilt University. In the following years, several new clubs emerged in universities across the state, many of them affiliated with USAFL clubs. In 2005, the first College Invitational was held, hosted by Vanderbilt. =High school Aussie rules In 2006, Las Lomas High School in Las Lomas, California introduced the sport to the schools ciriculum becoming the first U.S. high school to play the sport. Formation senior clubs As yet, not all geographical regions in the US are by clubs. Many clubs, in the formative stages are looking for players in order to compete in the USAFL National Championships or field Metro leagues. The advent of the Internet has greatly facilitated the growth of the sport in the United States. AUSTRALIAN RULES TELEVISION RIGHTS IN THE USA 2006
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