WFL on HBO Sports

Home Box Office launched on November 8, 1972. During the 1970's, HBO Sports televised games from the American Basketball Association, World Hockey Association and the World Football League. HBO Sports produced and aired twelve WFL games on Wednesday nights during the 1974 season. They also produced six games in 1975. The cable network stopped airing WFL games once hockey season began in October '75.

HBO Sports premiered the World Football League on Wednesday, July 10, 1974 to 23,000 cable subscribers in the New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware area. Their inaugural first game was the Philadelphia Bell hosting the Portland Storm at JFK Stadium.

HBO had two broadcasting teams for their coverage of the WFL. Spencer Ross and Gino Cappelletti were the lead announcers. Steve Albert and Bob Goldsholl also called WFL games for HBO.

Unfortunately, after a search of their storage facilities they realized that all of their original two-inch tapes from the WFL were missing. HBO Sports is now in search of those lost tapes to recapture their sports history.

All that has survived is a 30-second promo announcing WFL games with footage from the New York Jets training camp. They also came across a boxing match they televised where announcer, Don Dunphy, reminded viewers to tune into Wednesday night coverage of the World Football League.

HBO Program Guide Article - Kickoff Time In July

Newspaper Article - Woman Grid Announcer On Home Box Tonight

The games HBO produced for 1974 include:

The games HBO produced for 1975 include:

Home Box Office Sports ad announcing the premier of World Football League games for the 1974 season.

NOTE: Special thanks to Max Segal and Bruce Clarke for their assistance on this page.