Lega Italiana Football Americano (1979) (Italian American Football League) 

Robert Carey, the president of NFL Properties Inc., spoke at the Versilia tournament, pledging his interest to Italian leaders in promoting the game in Italy. In March 1978 a contract was signed, under which the NFL committed to designing the logos of Italian teams, reserving all rights with respect to the latter outside Italy, and allowing the newly established Italian league the rights to use the NFL image in return for modest royalties to justify the sending of equipment and facilities for the game. 

The LIF, Lega Italiana Football Americano, was founded December 27, 1979 by Bruno Beneck, Daniela Beneck, Gianfranco Calistri and Marcello Loprencipe. The new entity will initiate an incentive, in which Italian players will take part under guidance from American instructors. 

On January 6 1980, the Befana arrived from the USA, bringing a number of boxes containing all the material needed to equip the various teams! On the same afternoon, the players of the Gladiatori Roma put on a show at the Colosseum, performing in a series of game plans in front of the RAI television cameras, which would broadcast the first images ever of an Italian football team in the sports evening news. 

At this point, the LIF leaders identified a priority: the need for a permanently available and fully equipped facility to practice football in the best possible environment, to take advantage of all the image and performance aspects which are part of this sport. One of the league promotors had the idea of contacting an uncle, the mayor of a town in an interesting tourist area between Lake Bolsena and Orvieto, to suggest he hosted the future National Technical Centre. Giuseppe Calistri, the mayor of Castel Giorgio, was passionate about the operation and, before long, the first permanent facility for American football in Italy in Europe, outside of NATO bases, would be built. 

A winning idea: the construction of the "Vince Lombardi" Stadium 

In the league's Rome offices, an idea takes shape: to devote the sports ground being built to a great head coach of Italian descent, a champion who died prematurely in 1970, after winning six NFL titles and the first two editions of the Super Bowl. "Vince Lombardi" Stadium would be written in blue and red square letters on the white background of the wall. The leadership of the Green Bay Packers sent a contribution: the two original goal posts with the bumpers at the base!

Inside, the scoreboard is definitely "real", with the quarter and the game time, the downs, ball possession, the scrimmage line and yards to be gained; it is fastened over a shed with the controls and a seat for the operator. On the opposite side, a stand with two access ramps was built in a few weeks; along the base, a gym and changing rooms were added soon. 

The first Italian championship (1980) 

On July 19, 1980 at 5.30 pm, the stand was packed, the band was playing, the historic parade was in motion, then "the game": the Lupi (Wolves) Roma against Diavoli (Devils) Milano. 

In the first quarter, the Wolves scored a touchdown with Angrisani and, subsequently, scored the conversion with a run. Little by little, the running back Limone took centre stage, scoring three touchdowns: the first athlete to close up with an American statistic, 13 carries for 110 yards. Other Roman players offered an outstanding performance: Angrisani ran 10 times for 92 yards and Esposito for 83 yards with 8 carries; Santaroni became the protagonist of an interception return for 82 yards. The final result was 30 to 0 in favor of the Wolves, for the first game of the first American football championship in Italy.  

The Gladiatori Roma also participated in the tournament, led by quarterback Marcello Loprencipe, alongside the Tori Torinos under halfback Mark Militello; the first Italian championship ended on September 21 1980, after 12 games, with the victory of the Lupi Roma led by quarterback Marco Volterra. 

A few American players even took to the field, mostly military stationed in the Mediterranean: Livingston Jones, Carl Mobley, Dave Meredith, Steve Rich and Christian Lindgreen. 

The second season involved the Gladiatori Roma, the Diavoli Modena (based in Pavullo nel Frignano), the Lupi Roma and the Tori Torino. Two games would be held at the Motovelodromo of Turin and in the town of Pavullo (MO). The Gladiatori Roma won the championship by winning all games without conceding points. In June, the first collegiate game was organized for the Blue-All Stars Selection of the league to prepare for the first international game. 

The first European championships and the last flames (1983-1985) 

At the end of the season, LIF activity concluded and the pitch would remain closed until 1983. At Castel Giorgio arrived television cameras from RAI, the British BBC and the American ABC, which broadcasted some interesting coverage abput the experiences of the "Vince Lombardi" stadium. In the October of 1981 in "PRO! Gameday", the official journal of the NFL, the opening section was dedicated to Beneck's dream. 

The stadium would reopen for the Easter weekend of 1983 for the "1st Vince Lombardi Memorial", won by the Grosseto 81ers and, from July 23 to 31, the stadium hosted the first edition of the European Nations Championship, organized by Giovanni Colombo and Paolo Woelker. Five nations would play: Austria, France, Finland, West Germany and Italy. 

It was a well-organized tournament, with many spectators, a significant media presence and good technical play. Just before the opening game, the first specialized publication published in Italy was distributed, “la rivista del FOOTBALL AMERICANO” (the AMERICAN FOOTBALL magazine) which, in short, would be followed by other interesting titles like "Super Football", "Pro Bowl" and "Touchdown". 

Marcello Loprencipe (a perfect speaker), Sandro Focarelli and Alexander Zehnder all contributed to the success of the event. On July 23, Finland beat France 52-0, with significant contributions from Ari Tuuli, Jari Sirkia and Ollie Krogerus. The next day, Italy, with a debut marked by fireworks, overcame Austria by 87-0 in front of 3,000 spectators; highlights included Orla (Giaguari Torino), Longhi (Bologna Warriors) and Talone (Rams Milano). 

On the 26th, the first night game was held, with France salvaging pride against the unfortunate Austria, winning by 72-0. The next evening, Finland beat West Germany by 33-8. On July 30, the final for the 3rd place was held: Germany struggled to defeat France by 27-20. On July 31 at 5 pm, the final between Italy and Finland began: a win for Italy, 18-6. 

In 1984, the "Vince Lombardi" would host some prestigious friendlies among some of the best Italian teams (Angels, Doves) and a few Gladiators games in the Italian AIFA league. The same summer, the Castel Giorgio Mowers were founded, who played their last game against the Apaches Firenze on April 21 1985. It would also be the last game played at the legendary stadium, by the will of the new administration elected at the June elections, who dismissed, somewhat obtusely, American football from the Alfina highlands. 

The field, the first in Europe outside of NATO bases, would end up being abandoned and then converted back to soccer. The large scoreboard would be eventually dismantled under the stands, and the goal posts, donated by the Green Bay Packers, went first to the old stadium in Perugia and then who knows where.

The revival (2016) 

In July 2016, after 31 years, two new events brought football back to the Umbrian town, once considered "the European capital of football": the stadium was restored with the characteristic electro-mechanical scoreboard, hosting a national final and some international games over three days; MUFA, the museum of Italian football, was inaugurated, housed in a wing of the town hall. The "Vince Lombardi" stadium has returned to its role in the football world, and a number of other initiatives have already been scheduled: book presentations, clinics for various teams, another final during 2017.