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. It is sub-divided into a Western and Eastern Conferences, themselves split in two pools of four clubs. Every club contests fourteen games during the regular season: six Pool games (or "rivalry games"), four Conference games, and four Division games. The aim of this division is to limit the risks of injuries for players, a constant worry in Gridiron football. The season and post-season run from September to December, with the play-off finales taking place on New Years Eve. The rest of the year is left opened for other events, such as the Belisarian Gridirion League.
The ND1 is organized by the Gridiron Professional League, the 'Profiliga', which runs the professional Gridiron leagues within Drevstran (ND1 and ND2). There is a promotion-relegation system between the ND1 and the ND2. In each Conference, the lowest-placed club after the regular season has to play a game against the season champions of ND2 to determine which clubs will be in ND1, and which will be in ND2 the following season.
The Knock-out phase, or Playoff, of the ND1 is made of three phases. The first ranked team of the Western Conference face the fourth ranked team of the Western Conference, and the second ranked face the third ranked. The winners go to their Conference' finale, and then the Conference winners face in the New Year Finale. 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. The New Year Finale is traditionally held 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.
2023-2024 season
| Team | City | Arena | Capacity | First season | Owner | Conference | Pool |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alban Metro | Nazyr | Blue Sky Omnisport Stadium | 12,000 | 1971 | Kojen Familial Holding | Western | Northern (WN) |
| Drevka Gridiron Football Club | Angrast | Dursila Stadium | 15,000 | 1989 | Drevstranese Railways Public Society | Eastern | Northern (EN) |
| Ebett Gridiron Football Club | Ebett | Perlivoda Sport Center | 10,000 | 2001 | Prydjäk Holding | Western | Southern (WS) |
| Fergus Racing | Fergus | Thorismond Gridiron Arena | 22,000 | 1955 | Juget Sport Foundation | Eastern | Southern (ES) |
| Furyod Gridiron Football Club | Furyod | Osmond Ferrek Arena | 7,500 | 2001 | Albion Ferrek | Western | Southern (WS) |
| Garbald Gridiron Football Club | Angrast | Old Market Omnistadium | 9,000 | 1981 | Solomon II Katton | Eastern | Northern (EN) |
| Halvar Omnisport | Halvar | Angyalföldi Omnisport Stadium | 24,000 | 1955 | Latismon Orbraggar | Western | Southern (WS) |
| Lushem Omnisport | Am-Lushem | Buskeseg Arena | 11,000 | 1956 | Olaf Baragne | Eastern | Southern (ES) |
| Mren Metro Sports Club | Mrenatjaros | Riverside Sport Complex | 10,000 | 1992 | Jon Barma | Western | Northern (WN) |
| Nyugrataj Gridiron Football Club | Nyugrataj | Östillagok Stadium | 17,000 | 1955 | Lazlo Tengeri | Western | Southern (WS) |
| Petrograve Palace | Petrograve | Seven Knights Legendarium | 7,700 | 2002 | Antton Brishbek | Western | Northern (WN) |
| Pristlav Gridiron Football Club | Pristlav | Istvan Korbak Stadium | 20,000 | 1955 | Lugos Familial Holding | Eastern | Southern (ES) |
| Saint Cross Stadium | Pavari | Saint Cross Stadium | 15,000 | 1958 | Lions Lodge Holding | Eastern | Northern (EN) |
| Saint George Stadium | Angrast | Saint George Stadium | 25,000 | 1955 | Utica Internationalis Holdings | Eastern | Northern (EN) |
| Valdavian Club | Barbellon | Vazhilly Stadium | 20,000 | 1989 | Jletan Anonymous Holding | Western | Northern (WN) |
| Viz Rowing Club | Vizerad | Rowers Arena | 17,000 | 1955 | International Fund | Eastern | Southern (ES) |
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 | Nyugrataj 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 | Halvar Omnisport | Maximon Stadium | 70,000 |
| 2021 | Pyrovegy GFC | 34-20 | Pristlav GFC | Maximon Stadium | 68,000 |
| 2022 | Nyugrataj GFC | 14-7 | Saint George Stadium | 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.
Worldwide, the ND1 is the secondmost watched Gridiron league after the Inter-Republics League or Interreps. With the recent (2023) unification of continental Ottonia, the ND1 claims to have become the most watched Gridiron league in the world, its partnership with Delpha allowing it to gather viewers from not only the Latium but all over the world.