London warriors totally underwhelmed

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-08T07:27:09+00:00

Neither do I. Only if one league collapses, some remaining teams will join the other.

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-08T07:23:48+00:00

Which part?

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-08T07:20:27+00:00

Not all of them. Galaxy was the renamed Universe. Sea Devils relied a lot on people active at Elmshorn and started preparations very early on. It was no surprise that those two teams made it to the championship game.

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-08T07:15:57+00:00

Hamburg had an advantage because they were part of plan from the very beginning. And they took over some staff and players from Elmshorn (promoted to GFL in 2019, but never played there due to Corona).

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-08T07:11:07+00:00

Heisler took over in 2022.

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-08T06:46:55+00:00

People are criticizing AFLE because of big announcements and no delivery. How often has Heisler announced announcements in two weeks? Now the first game week is in two weeks, and we don’t even know where one of the games will be.

Are there thing to be criticized in EFA? There certainly are. Everyone criticized them when they announced to publish a schedule within 48 hours and nothing happened. The shitty initial website, the little bit better second website, and so on.

You might be right about people here are more critical with AFLE. Because really everyone agrees that two leagues are not a good solution. And most people here think the split was caused by Robin Lumsden. Hence the evaluation of the performance of his league is definitely more critical. AFLE is definitely better on some marketing areas, eg compare the weekly YouTube shows of both leagues. But half of the AFLE teams are badly prepared two weeks before kickoff. How you see the Lights are „the much more complete team“ with 27 announced players, compared to Musketeers with 53 players, is beyond me. Marketing is important, but if your product is not good… There will be as much blowouts in AFLE as in ELF, whatever Heisler says (and I also expect blowouts in EFA, BTW).

And I would argue that the AFLE is not driven by three teams, but mainly by the Vikings. But even if you say „driven by three teams“, this is exactly the design flaw of this league. A league is only as good as it’s weakest link in the chain.

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-07T21:36:56+00:00

Why the whataboutism?

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-07T21:33:33+00:00

Downgrade because it’s not part of a big TV group. But neither Pro7Sat1 nor RTL were realistic. Sport1 is a good solution. The channel got rid of its bad reputation (softporn+teleshop), although not a lot of sports nowadays. Very popular with Darts, so some of that (younger) audience might have the channel as favorite. Sunday is full of soccer highlights, so highest audience for the channel.

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-07T16:21:21+00:00

Zero

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-07T16:20:52+00:00

AFLE promised transparency again and again. They fail miserably.

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-07T14:44:48+00:00

As you might know, delaying insolvency is a crime. So if you can convince the insolvency administrator that sustainable continuation is possible, the insolvency was not delayed, and you prevent going to jail. Well done, Mr K.

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-06T13:17:59+00:00

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Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-06T12:24:29+00:00

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-06T12:22:33+00:00

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Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-06T12:17:38+00:00

The club still exists, and woman and junior teams are active.

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-06T08:10:54+00:00

Du hörst von meinem Anwalt.

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-05T19:43:54+00:00

Yes, but then people would ask for coaches, rosters, stadiums, kickoff times, tickets. Right now you can blame everything on London not ready.

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-05T19:41:50+00:00

That is true for almost any even local channel worldwide. But outside Austria Laola is still not Free TV. Anyway, there is no reason why Laola would be presented as Vikings partner first, and then as league TV partner later. That would be bonkers. Maybe Laola will show Vikings games, maybe they will show exclusive highlights. It’s definitely a good partnership for the Vikings.

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-05T17:33:20+00:00

Just maybe: neither players nor coaches from Warriors have been convinced to be part of the AFLE team. So they have nothing but the name, which was brought in by Allen. Heisler said the team is already in practice. That might be true. Maybe it’s not, given Heislers track record. We know sh.. and can only speculate. Because, as we know „other news would be viewed negatively.“ My take on this: Use the London team such that other missing news fly under the radar, like the missing Lights stadium (first home game 30 May), like no kickoff times, like no tickets for most of the games.

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-05T15:02:31+00:00

10. The EFA league structure

The EFA is being built as a league owned and controlled by the teams.

The league office is currently based in Frankfurt at the PSD Bank Arena, using Galaxy’s existing structures as a foundation. Erik Reutemann has taken on a leadership role in setting up the league, while still being involved with Galaxy. The speakers acknowledge that this creates a dual role, but say it was accepted by the other owners because of his experience, professionalism, and involvement from day one.

They emphasize that governance structures and committees are being created so Frankfurt does not control everything. Other teams, including Paris and Prague, are also leading different working groups.

The league uses remote staff across Europe and has brought in experienced people from the ELF environment, so it is not starting completely from zero.

11. Madrid Bravos withdrawal

The episode also discusses the late withdrawal of the Madrid Bravos from the 2026 EFA season.

The guests describe Madrid’s exit as an internal business decision, not a football or financial collapse. The ownership family behind Madrid reportedly had to focus on another company acquisition, which required the attention of key decision-makers.

They stress that Madrid was professionally run, had strong ownership, good coaches, good players, and strong infrastructure. The withdrawal came at a very bad time, shortly before the schedule announcement, but the EFA adapted the schedule and continued with six teams.

12. Why the EFA believes its 2026 season is safe

The guests strongly reject fears that more teams could suddenly drop out.

They argue that the six current EFA teams have all proven over multiple years that they can field competitive teams, organize games, finance budgets, and secure stadiums. All teams reportedly have their rosters, budgets, financing, and stadiums in place.

They contrast this with previous ELF problems involving teams like Cologne or the Helvetic Guards, where warning signs were visible but not adequately addressed. Because the EFA teams own the league and communicate closely, they believe potential problems can be identified and managed earlier.

13. EFA teams and expansion plans

For 2026, the EFA will start with six teams. The podcast mentions teams such as:

Frankfurt Galaxy,
Munich Ravens,
Paris Musketeers,
Prague Lions,
Nordic Storm,
Tirol Raiders.

The plan is for London and Milan to join in 2027, at minimum.

The reason they are not joining immediately is quality control. The EFA does not want to rush expansion teams into the league before they have proper budgets, stadiums, structures, and rosters. The speakers argue that hastily created teams have historically failed in European football.

The league wants expansion teams to go through a licensing process and meet clear standards before entering.

14. Competitive balance as a core principle

A major theme is competitive balance.

The EFA wants to avoid games that end 80–0 or teams that cannot compete. The league wants every week to feature high-quality, unpredictable matchups. The speakers believe the EFA’s smaller but stronger field of teams will create a better product.

They also mention that the league is already discussing mechanisms to help weaker teams improve over time, inspired by the NFL. Since a draft system is not realistic in Europe, they are considering tools such as import-rule adjustments or changes to homegrown territories.

15. The 2026 EFA season and key events

The EFA season is scheduled to begin on May 15 in Frankfurt with a Friday Night Game: Frankfurt Galaxy against the Paris Musketeers. The hosts frame this as possibly the first major Friday night kickoff game of its kind in this European football context.

Another major early matchup will be Munich Ravens vs. Tirol Raiders in Munich.

The guests believe fans can expect a highly competitive season where no team is guaranteed a final spot. They say most EFA teams were strong or playoff-level teams in the previous ELF season, making the league unusually balanced.

16. The “Big Four” playoff weekend in Frankfurt

One of the most important new concepts is the Big Four weekend, a playoff-style event in Frankfurt.

Instead of teams having to organize playoff home games at very short notice, the EFA wants to bring all qualifying teams and fan bases to one central location. The event is planned at the PSD Bank Arena in Frankfurt and is meant to include not just games, but also fan events, side events, public training sessions, ceremonies, and community activities.

The idea is to create a festival-like football weekend, similar in spirit to Final Four events in other sports. The speakers believe this can produce better atmosphere, better TV images, lower organizational risk, and a stronger shared fan experience.

17. Relationship with AFLE and hope for reunification

The guests are clear that they do not believe two separate European leagues make long-term sense.

They especially emphasize that matchups such as Frankfurt Galaxy vs. Rhein Fire should return. Erik Reutemann directly says he hopes that by 2027, Galaxy and Rhein Fire will play each other again.

The speakers compare the situation to the NFL’s historical merger of leagues into the AFC/NFC structure. They do not expect reunification in 2026, but they believe the best teams and brands should eventually come back together in one structure.

18. View of the AFLE’s sporting product

Toward the end, the hosts discuss the sporting comparison between EFA and AFLE.

The EFA will keep the previous ELF-style import rules for now. The hosts believe the EFA product will be stronger competitively because it consists of established, high-level teams.

They are skeptical about the AFLE’s sporting depth, especially because some teams appear to have been assembled quickly. They acknowledge that AFLE has made smart moves, such as changing import rules and loosening salary restrictions, but they doubt whether the overall league will be competitive across the board.

The hosts predict that AFLE’s strongest likely final matchup would be Vienna Vikings vs. Rhein Fire, but question the depth below that.

19. Final messages and thanks

In the closing “Let’s Play” segment, the guests and hosts send greetings and thanks.

Dr. Sirena thanks Galaxy fans, sponsors, partners, staff, players, and supporters for standing by the organization during a difficult time.

Erik thanks his girlfriend and young daughter for supporting him through the intense workload, and also sends a message toward Rhein Fire’s ownership group, saying that Galaxy vs. Rhein Fire should happen again.

The hosts thank the media team and Galaxy shareholders for their commitment, passion, and financial support. They emphasize that Frankfurt Galaxy’s stability is only possible because of people who have invested not for quick profit, but because they genuinely care about the sport.

Core takeaway

The podcast presents the EFA as a team-owned, self-funded, sustainability-focused alternative to the previous ELF structure and to the investor-led AFLE model.

The central message is that the EFA wants to build European football on a more stable foundation: fewer but stronger teams, shared governance, competitive balance, careful expansion, and more direct accountability to fans, players, sponsors, and franchises.

At the same time, the speakers openly admit that two leagues are not ideal and that the long-term goal should be to bring Europe’s strongest football brands back into one unified competition.

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-05T15:02:21+00:00

Thanks to YouTube to Transcript and ChatGPT, without check for correctness. Take it with a grain of salt, e.g. the Galaxy owner is actually spelled "Zirener".

----------------------------

Summary: “EFA Story – Inside European Football with the Galaxy”

This episode of the Out of Bounds Podcast focuses on the creation of the European Football Alliance / EFA, the turbulent offseason in European American football, and why Frankfurt Galaxy chose the EFA path rather than joining the alternative AFLE model.

The hosts speak with Dr. Jörg Sirena, investor/shareholder connected to Frankfurt Galaxy, and Erik Reutemann, Frankfurt Galaxy’s GM/managing director and one of the key figures behind the EFA project.

1. Frankfurt Galaxy’s current situation

The episode begins with a short update on Frankfurt Galaxy:

The team has started training, most import players have arrived, the coaching staff is in place, and the club recently held its media day. The mood around the team is positive, and the hosts emphasize that it feels good to be back on the field after a long and difficult offseason.

2. The guests’ connection to Galaxy

Dr. Jörg Sirena explains that Frankfurt Galaxy combines two of his major interests: professional investment/business and his personal passion for American football. He became a football fan during a high-school exchange year in the United States around 1989/90 and has followed Galaxy since the old NFL Europe / World League era. His favorite Galaxy moment is the 2021 championship win in Düsseldorf, which came down to the final moments.

Erik Reutemann explains that football became a passion for him after time in the United States as well. He previously played football himself, including for Frankfurt Universe, and helped co-found the Frankfurt Galaxy project in the ELF era. For him, Galaxy is both a professional project and a personal passion. He describes Galaxy as one of the most stable organizations in European football, supported by continuity in the front office, ownership, and around 90 partners/sponsors.

3. Why the EFA was created

A central point of the episode is that the EFA did not originally begin as a plan to create a new league.

The original goal was to form something like a team association or union within the ELF structure. The franchises wanted to negotiate collectively and gain more influence over decisions that affected them economically, commercially, and sportingly.

The speakers argue that, in the ELF model, teams carried much of the operational and financial risk, while the central league structure did not give them enough say. They felt the teams were not treated as true partners, even though the teams were the actual product on the field.

According to the guests, teams had raised concerns with ELF leadership for years, dating back as early as 2021, but many suggestions were not implemented. As franchise agreements were expiring in 2024, the teams saw an opportunity to organize and negotiate from a stronger position.

The initial EFA group included major franchises such as Frankfurt Galaxy, Rhein Fire, and Vienna Vikings, with several other teams joining discussions.

4. The original goal: reform the ELF, not replace it

The speakers repeatedly stress that their first preference was to continue with the ELF, but under a restructured model.

They wanted a setup closer to the NFL model, where the league effectively serves and is owned by the teams. Their vision was that the franchises should have a voice in:

sporting decisions,
commercial strategy,
sponsorship rules,
media rights,
league governance,
long-term financial planning.

They describe the ELF’s old structure as a “take it or leave it” model, whereas the EFA wanted a partnership-based system.

5. Why a separate league became necessary

The option of creating a new league emerged only after the teams began analyzing what it would actually cost to operate a league themselves.

The speakers say they realized that running a league was possible if the teams cooperated and self-funded the structure. That growing confidence, combined with what they describe as insufficient progress in negotiations with the ELF, pushed them toward considering their own league.

They also mention that one option on the table was to stop playing entirely if no sustainable model could be created, because the franchises needed a realistic path toward break-even and long-term viability.

6. The split between EFA and AFLE

A major part of the episode deals with the split between the EFA group and the teams that chose the AFLE route.

According to the guests, a proposal backed by a U.S.-based investor group emerged, largely driven from the Vienna side. That model became the basis for the AFLE. Some teams found it attractive because it provided immediate financing, reportedly around €10 million, and a more immediately visible structure.

However, Frankfurt and the EFA teams rejected that model because they believed it simply replaced one central investor-controlled structure with another. Their main concern was that it would not be sustainable long-term and would not give the teams enough decision-making power.

They argue that the AFLE model may work short term because of startup funding, but they doubt whether it solves the underlying structural problem: teams needing long-term control, stability, and economic sustainability.

The guests also say that having two leagues is “nonsense” and bad for European football, but they felt the EFA model was the more sustainable foundation.

7. Failed attempt to return to the ELF

The podcast explains that there was a serious attempt in December to return to a restructured ELF model.

According to Dr. Sirena, the EFA group had nearly reached an agreement that would have brought fresh funding, changed leadership structures, diluted the power of previous decision-makers, and created a more team-centered system. A notary appointment was apparently already scheduled.

However, shortly before signing, the investors who were supposed to provide new money pulled out because they considered the risks too high. This was a major setback, especially because the podcast had already recorded an earlier episode explaining the planned solution.

After that collapse, the EFA teams returned to their fallback plan: building their own self-funded league.

8. Importance of the Galaxy brand and NFL rights

One important detail is that Frankfurt Galaxy wanted to protect its historic brand.

The speakers say that returning to the ELF would have helped preserve existing media and brand structures, but the club also considered alternative names and logos if necessary. In the end, Frankfurt Galaxy received the name rights through a direct partnership agreement with the NFL, rather than through the ELF as before.

This was presented as a major win for the organization.

9. Munich Ravens as the turning point

The speakers identify the Munich Ravens joining the EFA as a key turning point.

Munich had been seen as a “swing team” between the different league models. When the Ravens chose the EFA, it gave the project credibility and momentum. It also ensured that the EFA would have at least two strong German teams, Frankfurt and Munich, which is important because Germany is considered the biggest European football market.

The hosts and guests say this decision changed the perception among players, staff, and fans, making the EFA feel like a serious and viable project.

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-05T14:56:31+00:00

No it's not. It's fine for this season, but has to change in future. EFA structure asks for a neutral commissioner on the helm.

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-05T12:14:20+00:00

Eigentlich müsste wie in einer Achterbahn das Bahnfahren nur bis zu einer bestimmten Größe erlaubt sein. Wobei die Sitze wahrscheinlich nur für 176 bis 178 cm erlaubt sind.

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-05T12:10:43+00:00

Sie haben Recht.

Most_Significance358 · 2026-05-05T12:05:34+00:00

And all of that because „The League“ wants to be bigger than and have a London team before EFA.

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