NFL Empires: 1942

This is a continuation of my "empire" maps (where victors take the territory of the losers) of the NFL. Different than most such imperialism sports maps, instead of gaining all the loser's land from a victory home or away, the victor only gets territory for an away victory, and just two-thirds of it (or one-third for an away tie).

There were no changes to the teams between seasons, so the 1942 map starts where 1941 left off.

My data was from Pro Football Reference and most of the logos from SportsLogos.net.

Here then is the map of the NFL empires after the 1942 season:

The Chicago Bears (light blue) went undefeated in the regular season, which meant a lot of land gained and held. Washington (gold) won the Eastern Division and beat Chicago in the championship game. The game was in Washington, though, so no land changed hands. Green Bay (green) was second in the West, which was enough to maintain a large empire.

Here is the map before the season started:

The West dominates.

NFL Empires: 1941

This is a continuation of my "empire" maps (where victors take the territory of the losers) of the NFL. Different than most such imperialism sports maps, instead of gaining all the loser's land from a victory home or away, the victor only gets territory for an away victory, and just two-thirds of it (or one-third for an away tie).

There were no changes to the teams between seasons, so the 1941 map starts where 1940 left off.

My data was from Pro Football Reference and most of the logos from SportsLogos.net.

Here then is the map of the NFL empires after the 1941 season:

Green Bay (green) gained a lot of ground, but they didn't get to play in the championship game. They finished the season tied for first in the Western Division with the Chicago Bears (light blue), but the Bears won the playoff game (played in Chicago), then the Bears won the championship game versus New York (dark blue), also played in Chicago. So Chicago didn't gain land from those two games.

Here is the map before the season started:

When, oh when, will the Packers/Bears dominance end?

NFL Empires: 1940

This is a continuation of my "empire" maps (where victors take the territory of the losers) of the NFL. Different than most such imperialism sports maps, instead of gaining all the loser's land from a victory home or away, the victor only gets territory for an away victory, and just two-thirds of it (or one-third for an away tie).

There were no changes to the teams between seasons (other than the Pirates becoming the Steelers), so the 1940 map starts where 1939 left off.

My data was from Pro Football Reference and most of the logos from SportsLogos.net.

Here then is the map of the NFL empires after the 1940 season:

The Chicago Bears (light blue) won the championship, beating Washington (gold) in the championship game 73-0. That is the most points scored by one team in any NFL game in history, and thus naturally also the largest margin of victory. The game was in Washington, giving Washington their first home loss of the season, and thus giving Chicago a lot of land on the map. What's crazy is that just three weeks earlier in the same stadium, Washington had beaten Chicago 7-3.

Here is the map before the season started:

Philadelphia only won one game all season, but it was at home, so they failed to gain any land.

NFL Empires: 1939

This is a continuation of my "empire" maps (where victors take the territory of the losers) of the NFL. Different than most such imperialism sports maps, instead of gaining all the loser's land from a victory home or away, the victor only gets territory for an away victory, and just two-thirds of it (or one-third for an away tie).

There were no changes to the teams between seasons, so the 1939 map starts where 1938 ended.

My data was from Pro Football Reference and most of the logos from Sports Ecyclopedia and SportsLogos.net.

Here then is the map of the NFL empires after the 1939 season:

Green Bay (light green) won the championship game at home over New York (dark blue). Green Bay lost early at home to Cleveland (red), who finished 5-5-1, so the champions actually lost ground this year. New York expanded their territory while the Chicago Bears (light blue) gained ground as second place in the West and Washington (gold) held most of their land as second place in the East.

Here is the map before the season started:

The Cardinals lost their Inyo.

NFL Empires: 1938

This is a continuation of my "empire" maps (where victors take the territory of the losers) of the NFL. Different than most such imperialism sports maps, instead of gaining all the loser's land from a victory home or away, the victor only gets territory for an away victory, and just two-thirds of it (or one-third for an away tie).

There were no changes to the teams between seasons, so the 1938 map starts where 1937 ended.

My data was from Pro Football Reference and most of the logos from Sports Ecyclopedia and SportsLogos.net.

Here then is the map of the NFL empires after the 1938 season:

Everyone gets some land! New York (dark blue) won the championship game over Green Bay (light green), although the game was in New York, so Green Bay held their land. Green Bay had an early losses to the Chicago Bears (light blue) and Detroit (purple), but managed to gain most of it back later in the season. The other big landholder, Washington (gold), second place in the East, had an early draw with Brooklyn (medium blue), who promptly lost to Pittsburgh (yellow), who finished with a 2-9 record, so that spread the land around nicely.

Here is the map before the season started:

NFL Empires: 1937

This is a continuation of my "empire" maps (where victors take the territory of the losers) of the NFL. Different than most such imperialism sports maps, instead of gaining all the loser's land from a victory home or away, the victor only gets territory for an away victory, and just two-thirds of it (or one-third for an away tie).

Cleveland (red) joined the league and received a 100-mile radius of land (except only halfway to "capitals" of the land they got). Boston (gold) moved to Washington and received a similar blob of land. (They also technically lost 1/3 of their previous land, but the Maine counties are so large that it was less than a full county lost, so they got it all back.)

My data was from Pro Football Reference and most of the logos from Sports Ecyclopedia and SportsLogos.net.

Here then is the map of the NFL empires after the 1937 season:

Almost every county changed hands this season. Washington had a good year in their new home. They won the Eastern Division and then beat the Chicago Bears (light blue) in the championship game in Chicago. The rest of the Eastern Division only held five counties between them (New York (dark blue), Philadelphia (dark green), Brooklyn, and Pittsburgh). Green Bay (light green) came in second in the West.

Here is the map before the season started:

See? Cleveland is red! [Of the Rams' colors through history, dark blue was already taken by New York, yellow by Pittsburgh, gold by Washington, and white isn't a color. I ended up taking the red from the city flag. ... I've already forgotten why the Cardinals aren't cardinal.]

NFL Empires: 1936

This is a continuation of my "empire" maps (where victors take the territory of the losers) of the NFL. Different than most such imperialism sports maps, instead of gaining all the loser's land from a victory home or away, the victor only gets territory for an away victory, and just two-thirds of it (or one-third for an away tie).

1936 was the first year in the NFL's history that no teams were added and no teams folded before the season. It was also the first year that the teams all played a balanced schedule, so losing teams could no longer hold onto territory on my map by never playing at home.

My data was from Pro Football Reference and most of the logos from Sports Ecyclopedia and SportsLogos.net.

Here then is the map of the NFL empires after the 1936 season:

Green Bay (green) were the champions, beating Boston (gold) in the championship game. The Eastern Division ended the season with ridiculously little land. The Chicago Bears (light blue) came in second in the West.

Here is the map before the season started, exactly the same as 1935 ended:

NFL Empires: 1935

This is a continuation of my "empire" maps (where victors take the territory of the losers) of the NFL. Different than most such imperialism sports maps, instead of gaining all the loser's land from a victory home or away, the victor only gets territory for an away victory, and just two-thirds of it (or one-third for an away tie).

I started where the previous season ended, removing St. Louis and Cincinnati (distributing their land to neighbors based on distance to "capitals"). No new teams were added this year.

My data was from Pro Football Reference and most of the logos from Sports Ecyclopedia and SportsLogos.net.

Here then is the map of the NFL empires after the 1935 season:

Green Bay (green) beat the Chicago Bears (light blue) to gain the West, but they came in second place in the Western Division behind Detroit (purple), who won the championship game against the Eastern winners, New York (dark blue). That game was in Detroit, so New York kept their land. At the other end of the standings, all the teams with losing records have either one county or no land.

Here is the map before the season started:

Detroit does what Detroit does.

NFL Empires: 1934

This is a continuation of my "empire" maps (where victors take the territory of the losers) of the NFL. Different than most such imperialism sports maps, instead of gaining all the loser's land from a victory home or away, the victor only gets territory for an away victory, and just two-thirds of it (or one-third for an away tie).

I started where the previous season ended, moving Portsmouth to Detroit (distributing the most distant third of their land to neighbors based on distance to "capitals", but gaining land around Detroit like a new team) and adding St. Louis midway through the season (gaining a 100-mile radius, except only halfway to a "capital" city of the land the new team is taking) as a replacement for Cincinnati, who was suspended. Cincinnati has already lost all their land by that time.

My data was from Pro Football Reference and most of the logos from Sports Ecyclopedia and SportsLogos.net.

Here then is the map of the NFL empires after the 1934 season:

It's all Chicago Bears (light blue), who were the Western Division champions. New York (dark blue) won the Eastern Division and the championship game (in New York, so they didn't gain any of Chicago's land). Chicago had beaten New York in New York on week 10, so New York actually lost land this season.

Here is the map before the season started (note a lack of St. Louis):

The Bears dominate.

NFL Empires: 1933

This is a continuation of my "empire" maps (where victors take the territory of the losers) of the NFL. Different than most such imperialism sports maps, instead of gaining all the loser's land from a victory home or away, the victor only gets territory for an away victory, and just two-thirds of it (or one-third for an away tie).

I started where the previous season ended, removed Staten Island (distributing their land to neighbors based on distance to "capitals"), and adding Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati (gaining a 100-mile radius, except only halfway to a "capital" city of the land the new team is taking).

My data was from Pro Football Reference and most of the logos from Sports Ecyclopedia and SportsLogos.net.

Here then is the map of the NFL empires after the 1933 season:

The fall of Green Bay! The Chicago Bears (light blue) won the championship as the winners of the West conference, beating New York (dark blue) in the championship game. Brooklyn (medium blue) came in second in the East, but only managed to gain a slice of west Texas. Teams were still playing unequal schedules, ranging from nine to fourteen games. Brooklyn played four fewer games than New York, with six of Brooklyn's ten games at home.

Here is the map before the season started:

Green begone.

NFL Empires: 1932

This is a continuation of my "empire" maps (where victors take the territory of the losers) of the NFL. Different than most such imperialism sports maps, instead of gaining all the loser's land from a victory home or away, the victor only gets territory for an away victory, and just two-thirds of it (or one-third for an away tie).

I started where the previous season ended, removed Frankford, Cleveland, and Providence (distributing their land to neighbors based on distance to "capitals"), and adding Boston (gaining a 100-mile radius, except only halfway to a "capital" city of the land the new team is taking).

In 1932, the NFL only had eight teams, tied for the lowest in its history. It sure made this map-making easier!

My data was from Pro Football Reference and most of the logos from Sports Ecyclopedia and SportsLogos.net.

Here then is the map of the NFL empires after the 1932 season:

The Chicago Bears (light blue) won the championship, but they only earned a draw in Green Bay (green). In fact, no one beat Green Bay at home, so they still dominate the map while coming in second place.

Here is the map before the season started:

Can we all just agree that the Cardinals suck?

NFL Empires: 1931

This is a continuation of my "empire" maps (where victors take the territory of the losers) of the NFL. Different than most such imperialism sports maps, instead of gaining all the loser's land from a victory home or away, the victor only gets territory for an away victory, and just two-thirds of it (or one-third for an away tie).

This is the twelfth season of the NFL, starting where the previous season ended, removing Newark and Minneapolis (distributing their land to neighbors based on distance to "capitals"), and adding Cleveland (gaining a 100-mile radius, except only halfway to a "capital" city of the land the new team is taking).

My data was from Pro Football Reference and most of the logos from Sports Ecyclopedia and SportsLogos.net.

Here then is the map of the NFL empires after the 1931 season:

Green Bay (green) won the season again. They held onto their territory, but only gained relatively little new territory. Second-place Portsmouth (purple) gained territory, but there was little non-green land to go around.

Here is the map before the season started:

Green Bay, Green Bay, Green Bay.

NFL Empires: 1930

This is a continuation of my "empire" maps (where victors take the territory of the losers) of the NFL. Different than most such imperialism sports maps, instead of gaining all the loser's land from a victory home or away, the victor only gets territory for an away victory, and just two-thirds of it (or one-third for an away tie).

This is the eleventh season of the NFL, starting where the previous season ended and removing Boston and Buffalo (distributing their land to neighbors based on distance to "capitals"), moving Dayton to Brooklyn (losing the most distant third of their land, but gaining new land like a new team), and adding Portsmouth (gaining a 100-mile radius, except only halfway to a "capital" city of the land the new team is taking).

When the league started in 1920, the median central point of teams was in western Ohio. In 1924, the center was in Chicago. By 1930, the center had shifted to Philadelphia. The New York metropolitan area has four teams this year!

My data was from Pro Football Reference and most of the logos from Sports Ecyclopedia and SportsLogos.net.

Here then is the map of the NFL empires after the 1930 season:

Green Bay (green) won the season thanks to a missed extra point by Portsmouth (purple) in the final game. Otherwise, New York (dark blue) would have won the season, with much the same map. Minneapolis and Frankford fell off the map entirely, while the Chicago Bears (light blue) returned in a strong way.

Here is the map before the season started:

Continued Green Bay dominance, and the others are left fighting for scraps.