Pigskin comes to Poland

Pigskin comes to Poland

From Warsaw Business Journal
Poland's first American Football league begins play this weekend.

Every year around this time, touchdown-loving American expats go through the agony of being almost completely cut off from their country's most popular sport, as the excitement of American football begins to heat up stateside.

What many Americans living here may not know, however, is that Poland's very own American football league begins play this Sunday, October 8, as the Warsaw Eagles take on the First American Football Club in Wielkopolska Fireballs in Łódź at 1pm. These teams have been joined by another two this year, the Wrocław Crew and the Pomorze (Tri-city) Seahawks. Fans in Poland will be able to come out and watch all the teams compete against each other throughout October and November, with the season culminating in a championship battle in Warsaw on November 12.

Soon the Polish American Football Association (PZFA) hopes to add teams from Kraków, Łomża, Łódź, Silesia and Szczecin.

"American football is considered one of the most rapidly growing sports in our country," says PZFA's president Jędrzej Stęszewski. "Some people might guess that most of the players are Americans. But in reality, the vast majority of players are Poles."

Still don't know what "pigskin" is..

American football is also referred to as "pigskin". Not typically made from it though

I know that 'The Crew' have already played in one competition, although I can't say when that was. Also, 'The Crew' is a new name for the team. I have no idea what their old name was.
I've only met one person who knows or even cares about American Football in Wroclaw. 'Rapidly growing'. I think not. In fact the person I was speaking to thought it was Rugby until I told her otherwise.

Yeah, I don't see it becoming too popular. Not even that many people enjoy it in the US. I can really care less if it's on.

I have to disagree with that. Football (american football) is the number 1 rated sport here in America. The superbowl is the higest rated television event every year. Football is huge here.

Yes, maybe I should've said not many people that I know It is a huge sport, but I think baseball is more popular.

What would they call it in PL anyway?

Hello All you SuperBowl seeking Fans!!! LaLuz has a wide screen TV showing the SuperBowl Live in it's original Broadcast. That means no Poles comenting on anything other then the game. I am an American Living in Wroclaw and would have killed someone for a chance to watch this 5 years ago which I almost did but you can watch this Program on almost any satelite too. With that said Indinapolis "Colts" vs. Chicago "Bear" Sunday February 4th 2007 Wroclaw Poland. The Place is called La Luz. Also if you can't make it to Wroclaw to watch this Try this satelite Company, it's called Staelite "N" Takes only 2 hours top set up if you already had or have a SSatelite system. Get the Sports packag plus 1 other. The Chanel is 65 NASN on Stelite "N'. Hope to see you at La Luz.

I'd watch Polish American Football. It can't be all that great but at least its something. I miss my football. But I live in Opole so Warsaw and Lodz are pretty far away...

Yes but in Europe we play real football, English football. American football is like rugby they actually are allowed to pick the ball up LOL

All this talk of American football just makes the moment when the real football arrives even sweeter.

yay! :)

Hey everyone, I'm thinking about opening an American Sports Bar in Poland so people can watch something other than volleyball and soccer (football). Anyone think it people will come to my place? Any recommendations on a name for the bar? All I know is, my girlfriend in Wroclaw was laughing at me when i said this, and i cried a little bit but then got angry and said, 'why won't it work, this Sports Bar?' ....yea, i showed her!:)

Go Tampa Bay Buccanneers!

YESSSSSS we dooooooo!!! ;-P

Go Denver Broncos!!!

used to be

wtf? why oh why? :D

swinska skora? lol

mundial sure beats punt and pitch every year now.. hahahaha NASCAR is the #`1 "sport" in the USA

Some sort of investors have been trying to get up and running the american football league for 10years now I think. There have been many atempts after which there are few teams scattered around Poland but there is no big interest in the sport.
a lot more ppl watch rugby (which isnt a lot more popular anyway).

Borrrrrrringgggg!!! It is probably the fastest growing, but it can't be number 1 yet..... can it?

They tried it in the uk about 20 years ago,just never took off in a big way. When you compare it to Rugby NFL games are for big girlies,all those pads and helmets and time outs......
Now Baseball,not big either but gotta love that game :)

If the NFLers played rugby they'd kill all those human-sized beefcakes. Yes, the rugby players are tough, but the six foot eight 350lb linemen would simply murder some of the rubgiers.

Yes, the rugby players would outrun the linemen, but they would have to be replaced after the first hit. What I like about rugby is that it's played by almost normal people. NFL is now mostly about freaks... the huge, the fast, the pinpoint passers, the kickers. Rugby players are much more well rounded, they just couldn't survive the hits from the big boys. Careers would be ended.

Can you imagine Ricky Williams in rugby? Wow.

Oh, and weren't there like 3,000 people at the Crew's first game?

Once you got hit by one of the so called girlies you would be praying for some
padding...... But soccer, now theres a tough sport you run around in circles and
kick a ball??

Soccer is played by 4-year old kids. My little girl at 4 years of age plays on a soccer team at the YMCA. I was on a Soccer Team at the University. It's a girls sport for wimps. You can't take it seriously.

Yes, in the US only.



So, you're a wimp?



Yes, you can. If you want to.

I love soccer/football and it doesn't matter what any of you think :) you ...you...you..bunch of words on a screen ;)

I play with the Mexicans when I get the chance.