Amsterdam's Jarrett Payton, centre, fights for the ball with Berlin's Jamal Brooks, right, during the final football match of the NFL Europe League at the LTU-arena in Dusseldorf, western Germany, , June 11, 2005. The NFL folded its development league in Europe after 16 years Friday, calling the decision a sound business move that will allow for a stronger international focus on regular-season games outside the United States. The announcement came less than a week after the Hamburg Sea Devils beat the Frankfurt Galaxy 37-28 in the World Bowl championship in Frankfurt before a crowd of 48,125. Five of the league's six teams are in Germany, with the other in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The league began in 1991 as the World League of American Football, with 10 teams from the United States and Europe, spreading from Scotland to Spain. After closing for two seasons in 1993 and 1994, the league returned with six European teams and retained the same format until the end. AP Photo logo AP Photo 31 months ago

Amsterdam's Jarrett Payton, centre, fights for the ball with Berlin's Jamal Brooks, right, during the final football match of the NFL Europe League at the LTU-arena in Dusseldorf, western Germany, , June 11, 2005. The NFL folded its development league in Europe after 16 years Friday, calling the decision a sound business move that will allow for a stronger international focus on regular-season games outside the United States. The announcement came less than a week after the Hamburg Sea Devils beat the Frankfurt Galaxy 37-28 in the World Bowl championship in Frankfurt before a crowd of 48,125. Five of the league's six teams are in Germany, with the other in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The league began in 1991 as the World League of American Football, with 10 teams from the United States and Europe, spreading from Scotland to Spain. After closing for two seasons in 1993 and 1994, the league returned with six European teams and retained the same format until the end.

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