Narodna Divizia 1 (Drevstran)
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| Formerly | Honors League |
|---|---|
| Sport | Gridiron Football |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Inaugural season | 1956 |
| No. of teams | 16 |
| Country |  Drevstran |
The National Division I or ND1 is a Drevstranese Professional Gridiron Football club competition that exist in its current form since 1955 and is organised by the Drevstran Gridiron Federation ('Gridsov'). There is promotion and relegation between the ND1 and the next level down, the National Division 2. Each year, the winner of the competition is presented with the Bretnian Shield, so named after one of the early indo-european tribes who inhabited Drevstran before Tervingia.
The exact format of the ND1 has been changed, modified, and tweaked multiple time throughout its existence. Since Professionalism was fully adopted in 1991, the competition happens in two phases: a Group Stage involving all sixteen teams and the Play-Offs involving the eight best clubs of the season.
Since teams who compete in the ND1 are regularly involved in international competitions such as the BGL, as Salary cap has been put into place to maintain the competitiveness of smaller clubs. Similarly, the number of international players allowed in each club is regulated. The salary cap has been in place since the professionalisation of the Division in 1991 and, since 1997, match the caps in place in the BGL or in Ottonia.
Format and Structure
The ND1 is contested by sixteen professional Gridiron clubs throughout Drevstran. Every club contests 30 games during the regular season. For scheduling purposes, the season is divided into two halves, a Spring and Autumn Halves, with the team at home in the first half of the season on the road in the second. The aim of this division is to limit the risks of injuries for players, a constant worry in Gridiron football. There are also breaks during the season for Belisarian club fixtures (the Belisarian Gridiron League).
The ND1 is organized by the Gridiron Professional League, the 'Profiliga', which runs the professional rugby leagues within Drevstran (ND1 and ND2). There is a promotion-relegation system between the ND1 and the ND2. only the lowest-placed club in the table after the regular season is automatically relegated to ND2. The playoff champion of ND2 is automatically promoted, while the next-to-last ND1 club and the playoff runner-up of ND2 play each other to determine which club will be in ND1, and which will be in ND2 the following season.
The Knock-out phase, or Playoff, of ND1 is made of three phases, with the eight best ranked clubs of the regular season reaching the quarterfinales, with the 1rst ranked team always facing the 8th ranked one, the 2nd the 7th, and so forth. The winners go to the semifinales, and then to the finales. The two clubs who lost in the semifinales also face one another in the "small finale" to determine the 3rd and 4rth best overall teams. ND1 playoffs are traditionally held in neutral sites with the finale at the Maximon Stadium in Angrast.
Clubs
Since the first edition of the 'Honor League' in 1956, a total of 74 clubs played in Drevstran' top division. Of the founding members only Pristlav GFC, Halvar Omnisport, and Nyugrataj GFC have played continuously with no relegation. Internationally, the most well known clubs are Saint George Stadium, the Valdavian Club, Pristlav GFC, Nyugrataj GFC, and Fergus Racing. The most titled team overall remain Nyugrataj, followed by Halvar Omnisport and the Fergus Racing on the podium.
Finales
| Year | Champion | Score | Runner-up | Place | Spectators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Egvedy Cavalry | 37-7 | Mren Metro | Maximon Stadium | 60,000 |
| 2016 | Saint George Stadium | 23-13 | Pristlav GFC | Maximon Stadium | 80,000 |
| 2017 | Viz Rowing Club | 23-20 | Nyugrataj GFC | Maximon Stadium | 69,000 |
| 2018 | Furyod GFC | 21-15 | Ebett GFC | Maximon Stadium | 65,000 |
| 2019 | Fergus Racing | 22-12 | Valdavian Club | Maximon Stadium | 79,000 |
| 2020 | Fergus Racing | 24-20 | Nyugrataj GFC | Maximon Stadium | 70,000 |
| 2021 | Pyrovegy GFC | 34-20 | Pristlav GFC | Maximon Stadium | 68,000 |
| 2022 | Nyugrataj GFC | 14-7 | Halvar Omnisport | Maximon Stadium | 74,000 |
| 2023 | Fergus Racing | 29-24 | Valdavian Club | Maximon Stadium | 80,000 |
Media Coverage
Television represent a major source of revenues for the ND1 and is vital for its financial well-being. 1991 was a turning point for the ND1 as beside the full professionalization of the League it was also decided that broadcasting rights would be sold collectively instead of each club handling its own rights. The first TV Network to buy the rights to the ND1 games was Drev-Delph a sub-division of the Latin Delpha family of networks but more importantly a Pay-TV Broadcaster. Charging fans to watch Gridiron was at the time a near unheard of proposition that nonetheless managed to pay-off for the Division: Drev-Delph owners' strategy and the public' appetite for the game has seen the value of the ND1's TV rights soar.