Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Anyone here have any further information on the All American Football Conference 10 team plan ? I am a member of a old newspaper online website. The other day i was checking on the AAFC history. Articles published nationwide in 1945 and early 1946 said it would be a 10 team league . The latest dated articles i saw in April 1946 said "AAFC is going ahead with its original 10 team plan. New York,Brooklyn,Buffalo, Miami,Cleveland,San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Baltimore are set for the fall of 1946. League officials will be meeting with Dallas,New Orleans,and unnamed cites that were a part of the Trans-American League next week to finalize the 10th team." I have yet to find another article that explains what happened. By summer all articles just talk about the 8 original teams. No mention that since 1944 the AAFC said it would be a 10 team league.

I never realized the AAFC was planned for 10 teams for 2 years. Anyone know what occurred in April-May 1946 meetings that suddenly turned it into a 8 team league ?

They wanted an even number of teams for scheduling purposes, but they did not want just any franchises entering the league. They wanted viable franchises. When Baltimore dropped out, the problem solved itself. I will have to check my records (trying to go from my failing memory here), but I thought Miami came in after Baltimore had to drop out when Gene Tunney was shipped overseas.

On 1/4/1946, the AAFC owners officially voted to make it an eight-team league. Baltimore couldn't secure a lease for Memorial Stadium and was also unsure about getting enough decent players. Meanwhile, two different groups from New Orleans and one from Kansas City were told that their applications were "tabled" for the time being. It was two months earlier that Baltimore had been granted a franchise. Other potential ownership groups from Philadelphia, Dallas and Atlanta had also been under consideration.

Tunney shifted his ownership from Baltimore to New York in December 1944, which was also the month that Seattle was taken under consideration as a potential franchise. When the league was first announced, there was reported interest in establishing franchises in Detroit, Philly and Boston.

Thank you both I went back and checked the old newspapers again. He is how the timeline shakes out.

Fall 1944 announcement indicates Detroit,Philadelphia and Boston are at the first discussions but not members. After this mention Detroit hangs in till December 1944 . Philadelphia remains around but is taken off the table when the NFL picks its new commish from Philadelphia. Boston hangs around for a couple years as a possible.

December 1944 announcement AAFC accepts applications from Boston, Miami, Atlanta, and Detroit.

December 10,1944 Miami is announced as 8th team. (Missing is the 2 New York teams)

1945- Topping jumps to AAFC from NFL resulting in the creation of both New York and Brooklyn teams. As a result the league grows to 9 teams.

January 4, 1946- Newspapers report AAFC has been meeting with New Orleans and Dallas thru the fall who both desire to join the league.

January 7 1946- Newspapers report Baltimore asks for delay till 1947 as a result of stadium issues. Additionally, AAFC tables presentations from New Orleans and Kansas City till 1947. (Would appear if Baltimore was a go then either New Orleans or Kansas City would have been the 10th team. However, with Baltimore delayed the league is back to 8 so unless they were willing to take both its a no go.)

April 1946- Newspapers report AAFC goal is to be 10 teams. League officials will be meeting with Dallas,New Orleans,and unnamed cites that were a part of the Trans-American League next week to finalize the 10th team." (Perhaps a last ditch effort to get back to 10. Appears one of two things were going on. 1) They wanted to accept Kansas City but to do it they made a last ditch effort to see if New Orleans could improve it offer in addition to reaching out to Dallas and unnamed other cites. 2) They wanted to accept New Orleans telling them your in if we can make Dallas or some other named city work.)

My best guess is that New Orleans was going to be the 10th team. They were meeting with Dallas and New Orleans thru the fall of 1945 clearly indicating some interest. Also at this point Baltimore is still a go for 1946. New Orleans shows up for the January 7, 1946 meeting to submit a application. (PS actually two New Orleans groups submitted applications) . Kansas City also submits application but it kind of appears to be out of the blue as the city is never mentioned earlier. Dallas is a no show at the AAFC meeting. The Baltimore delay till 1947 kills New Orleans chances. Perhaps afterwords New Orleans says get us in the 1946 season or we will drop all interest. So perhaps the late effort in April to meet again with New Orleans, Dallas and any Transamerica League city to find a 10th team. One other interesting point is Dallas tries again in 1947 and 1948 to join the league without any success. I can find no information that the New Orleans groups ever approach the AAFC in 1947 or 1948 to join the league.


Just a guess.