The Helvetic Guards: Switzerland’s New Team in the European League of Football (ELF)

The founding of the Helvetic Guards stirred up the American football scene in Switzerland. The team is about to debut in the semi-professional European League of Football (ELF).

It was a long way – and yet everything had to happen very quickly. Almost two years ago, a group led by the current General Manager Toni Zöller presented the project of adding a team from Switzerland to the European league founded in 2020. They had neither players nor stadium, just the idea.

However, they were able to convince with this idea. Even under the strict supervision of the league, a team was put together within months that is impressive, at least on paper. The head coach is the American Norm Chow, who had been in charge of college teams for decades and was also briefly involved in the NFL, the largest league in the world. The squad consists of numerous Swiss national players and some “imports”.

“Our team should represent Swiss football on the European stage,” Zöller told the Keystone-SDA news agency. The Guards will play away to Barcelona on Saturday. On Sunday, June 11th, the team welcomes the Raiders Tirol to their first home game, which takes place in Wil.

Critical voices at the time of creation

There has never been a semi-professional organization like the Helvetic Guards in Switzerland. In spite of this, or precisely because of this, it wasn’t just sympathy that met her during its creation. In the environment of the existing clubs in particular, there was a fear that the domestic league, which was already fighting for attention, could attract even less attention by poaching its best players.

In the meantime, however, Zöller and Co. have been able to convince some club presidents that Swiss football will benefit from the Guards in the long term. The plan is simple. “For the first time, we are offering the opportunity to play football at a high level and with the prospect of a career,” says Zöller. “This new perspective will not only bring more, but also more ambitious young people into the Swiss clubs.”

At least the conditions don’t seem bad. Thanks to regular broadcasts of American NFL games on public television, the sport has become more popular in German-speaking countries. This is another reason why Patrick Esume, who became known as a TV commentator, created the ELF and immediately made sure that games can be seen on free TV. It is an unprecedented platform for a football team from Switzerland.

As an outsider in the season

In the Guards’ debut season, the organization’s primary concern is gaining a foothold in the league. But that doesn’t mean that you don’t have any sporting ambitions, said Zöller. The GM is impressed by the “character, cohesion and ambition” that is in the team.

As a newcomer and outsider, the team has practically nothing to lose in terms of sport. The situation is different for the organization as a whole. A lot has been invested in the coaches, the players and the infrastructure. According to Zöller, the money comes “largely from equity”. In March, the organization was taken over by Jörg Behrendt, who founded the Emmen Dragons and supported the Lucerne Lions as the main sponsor for a long time.

In the future, more income is to be generated through sponsorship and through the sale of tickets and fan articles. Whether there is enough interest in Switzerland remains to be seen. Last year’s Swiss Bowl, the final in the national league, was attended by just over 1000 fans.

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