Hip-Hop mogul Snoop Dogg recently came across highlights of a full-contact, no-helmet football league on Instagram, and said that he "wants in."
The American 7's Football League (A7FL) is a football league that says it doesn't allow "head hunting," which is good because players in the league play at full speed, without the benefit of pads or a helmet to protect them.
The seven-on-seven league suggests that players are actually more likely to lead with their head, whether it's on tackles or runs, if they have a helmet and pads. Without one, the assertion is that players will actually be safer and less likely to sustain short and long-term brain damage, which has turned some off to the NFL over the last decade. The width of the field in shrunk to 40 feet, as opposed to the 53-foot width of the normal football field, giving players less time to reach full speed before crashing into each other.
Beyond no helmets and pads, the league has some pretty interesting rules, per their website:
- "To start each half and after every score, the defending team will throw the ball off from their own 35 yard line. The throwing team will have 3 players and the receiving team 1 player. The player throwing the ball can get a running start but can not pass the 35 yard line. The 2 gunners must be set on the 35 yard line and can not leave util the ball is thrown. The ball must travel a minimum of 40 yards (to the 25 yard line) and stay inbounds. If the ball passes the back of the end zone on the fly it will be a touchback and spotted on the receiving team’s 20 yard line. If the ball lands in the end zone and has NOT been touched by the returner and has traveled the minimum distance the returner may down the ball in the end zone or choose to return it but it is a live ball."
- "Touchdowns will be worth 6 points. After a team scores they will need to complete either a 1 point conversion or a 2 point conversion. We do not kick - this isn’t soccer. A score from the 5 yard line is worth 1 point. A score from the 10 yard line is worth 2 points."
The league - which plays in Monmouth, New Jersey - has four teams in their 2020 league.
The site solicits investors, though Snoop Dogg lending his name (and equity) to the league would certainly help it in terms of growth. Snoop Dogg founded the Snoop Youth Football League in 2005, which "provides the opportunity for inner-city children to participate in youth football and cheer." The league has produced multiple future NFL players, including Super Bowl 50 Champion Ronnie Hillman. So Snoop, beyond his notoriety, could be an asset to the league's growth.
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