The colour purple has long been associated with Florence, from the Romans, who named it after an autochthonous purple lily, to Alemanno del Giunta, who brought immense wealth to the city during the Renaissance by creating purple dye from the oricella plant. Today, the colour is mostly associated with AC Fiorentina, the resident football club founded in 1926, which has been wearing its distinct purple kit since 1929. But Fiorentina is not the only football club in the city sporting viola. There is another, too: the American football team Guelfi.
We arrive for media day on a rainy February afternoon and upon approaching the entrance to the Guelfi Sport Centre between Isolotto and Scandicci, we are greeted by the sight of the team in full kit as they prepare to take their portraits. We are immediately welcomed by president Alessandro Dallai and vice-president Edoardo Cammi who, after the team is finished taking photos, introduce us to Eystin “Easy” Salum, quarter-back and one of the star players from Colorado. Eystin spent some time playing for the Milano Seamen, a bitter rival of the Guelfi, before switching sides this season. He explains how American football works in soccer-crazed Italy. The season lasts from February to June, and each team has only three professionals, which tend to be Americans. We ask Easy about language barriers, to which he replies that, “football terms are universal”. Easy’s commitment to the team is year round, helping with the coaching and putting his mass communication degree to good use with a spot of marketing.
Observing the training from the stands, we meet Luca Belli, the Guelfi’s press agent and former player. Luca’s passion for American football stems from his grandfather, who emigrated to Wisconsin and brought back his love for the Green Bay Packers. He explains that the team is made up of people from all walks of life, with diverse occupations from students to architects, and a wide age range from 17 to 44. Not all players are locals, Luca tells us, with some even commuting to Florence from as far away as Modena for weekend training. Most of the people who come to watch games are part of the community. “One of the things we like to do to grow our viewership is to encourage the lads to go socialize at Red Garter (a popular haunt amongst Americans in Florence) before games.”
Colour is not the only cue taken from the city’s history. The Guelfi are named for one of the two factions in the Guelph and Ghibelline Wars of the Middle Ages, with the Guelphs supporting the Pope and the Ghibellines the Holy Roman Emperor. Florence was loyal to the Pope, but the club’s origins are not so ancient. During the height of Americana in Italy, Florence boasted two teams. The Apaches, founded in 1983, were first, but a rift in 1986 prompted some of the personnel to found the aptly named Renegades. (“Like Eve from the rib of Adam”, as Edoardo puts it.) The Apaches ceased operations in 1994 after two seasons in the top division, and the Renegades followed suit in 1997. Florence was left without an American football team, but in 2000 members of the Apaches and Renegades joined forces, and the Guelfi rose from the ashes of their predecessors. There was little time to prepare for the start of the second division, which meant that the team played their first game wearing the Renegades’ yellow kit, switching to purple for the second game and never looking back.
They made it to the Snowbowl, Italy’s second division final, in their first season and in 2005 they won the championship at Fiorentina’s home ground, the Artemio Franchi, beating the Naples Briganti. Since 2016 the Guelfi have been playing in the first division and in 2019 they made it to their first Italian Bowl (Italy’s equivalent of the Super Bowl), losing to the Milano Seamen. In 2021, they were beaten in the semi-final by Panthers Parma, but in 2022 the Guelfi won their first Italian Bowl, overcoming the Seamen at Dall’Ara Stadium, the home ground of FC Bologna. They made it to the Italian Bowl again the following two years, losing to Panthers Parma in Toledo, Ohio in 2023 and in Ravenna last year.
Ph. Lisa Giannini
Ph. Lisa Giannini
On the opening game of the season, the atmosphere is electric. The adversaries are the Savona Pirates, who are making their first division debut. A man behind the booth offers live commentary, while the DJ spins tracks, drumming up the hype. It’s a crisp sunny February afternoon, with the wind bound to affect play. The crowd is a wall of purple, with the occasional spot of blue representing the Savona supporters who, despite the buzzing atmosphere, seem more than welcome. One of the “bricks” making up this purple wall is a man from Livorno, who travels to Florence to watch his son play. It seems that the Guelfi allows old Tuscan rivalries to bury the hatchet, or maybe it’s just purple suits this supporter well (his words).
The Guelfi comprehensively beat the Pirates 49-0 on the day, and are off to a rocking start on their way to a fourth consecutive Italian Bowl. If you’re interested in following the team, their games are streamed on DAZN, but we suggest attending a home game for the full experience. Tickets are available on Ticketone or at the gate.
