Tazón México
{{short description|Annual championship game of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional}}
File:Tazón_México_III.jpgThe Tazón México (English: Mexico Bowl) is the annual championship game of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional, the highest level of professional American football in Mexico. As with the Super Bowl, Roman numerals are used to identify each game, rather than the year in which it is held. The game was typically played on the last Sunday of April, but from the 2019 season is played on the second Sunday of May.
Of the twelve teams that have competed in LFA, seven had appeared in Tazón Mexico. Four teams had won the championship at least once.
History
The LFA held the first two Tazón México games at Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo" in the Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City in Mexico City in 2016 and 2017. The Mayas won those first two Tazón México games, the most of any team. The venue was changed for the 2018 season and Tazón México III was held at Estadio Azul, originally used for football and which has a larger capacity.{{cite news|title=El Tazón México se llevará a cabo en el Estadio Azul|url=https://www.excelsior.com.mx/adrenalina/2018/01/09/1212271|newspaper=Excélsior|date=9 January 2018|access-date=26 November 2018|language=es}} The Mexicas would win their first title in front of 15,000 spectators, less than half of the venue's capacity.{{cite web|url=https://deportesinc.com/historia-del-estadio-azul/|title=Adiós, Estadio Azul|publisher=Deportes Inc.|date=28 April 2018|access-date=26 November 2018|language=es}} Tazón México IV was also held at Estadio Azul, with the attendance increasing slightly from the previous year to 18,000.{{cite news|title=La LFA volverá a jugar en el Estadio Azul, que no se demolerá en el futuro próximo|url=https://www.marca.com/claro-mx/otros-deportes/futbol-americano/2018/07/26/5b5a15a9e2704ec2928b4626.html|newspaper=Marca Claro|date=26 July 2018|access-date=November 26, 2018|language=es}}
In December 2019, it was announced that the game would change its venue from Estadio Azul to Estadio Azteca to host Tazón México V, the 2020 season championship game.{{cite web|url=http://lfa.mx/el-tazon-mexico-v-tendra-sede-en-el-estadio-azteca/|title=El Tazón México V tendrá sede en el Estadio Azteca|website=LFA.mx|publisher=LFA|date=28 December 2019|access-date=14 February 2020|language=es}} But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 LFA season was cancelled (along with the 2021 season) and Tazón México V was not played.{{cite web|title=Coronavirus obliga a cancelar temporada 2020 de la LFA|url=https://www.espn.com.mx/futbol-americano/nfl/nota/_/id/6900177/lfa-cancela-temporada-2020-pandemia-coronavirus|website=ESPN.com.mx|date=30 April 2020|access-date=30 May 2020|language=es}} In May 2022, the Tazón México was held outside of Mexico City for the first time. Tazón México V was played in Tijuana at Estadio Caliente. The Fundidores defeated Gallos Negros 18–14 to win their first title.
Tazón México VI
The duel took place on June 10 in the finale of the sixth season.
The sixth edition of the Mexico Bowl had an official venue for the culmination of the 2023 season of the Professional American Football League (LFA). For the second consecutive year, the game did not take place in Mexico City and was held in the northern part of the country.
LFA Commissioner Alejandro Jaimes announced that the Olympic Stadium of the Autonomous University of Chihuahua (UACH) would be the venue for Mexico Bowl VI on Saturday, June 10, marking the end of the sixth season of the League.
The stadium, with a capacity of 23,000 spectators, is the home of the UACH Eagles and is also the home of the Chihuahua Caudillos, a team that joined the LFA in 2023 following the disintegration of the Mexican American Football (FAM).
Since its appearance in the now-defunct league, the Caudillos team has managed to attract crowds to their stadium, boasting the best attendance in that circuit. Jaimes revealed that they were planning a complete experience, similar to American football in the United States, with food in the parking lot and various activities.
Results
| class="wikitable"
!Game !Date !Winner !Score !Runner-up !MVP^ !Venue !City !Attendance |
| I
|10 April 2016 |align=center|29–13 |Josué Martínez, WR |Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo" |align=center|3,000 |
| II
|30 April 2017 |align=center|24–18 |Marco García, QB |Estadio Jesús Martínez "Palillo" |align=center|3,000 |
| III
|22 April 2018 |align=center|17–0 |Guillermo Villalobos, WR |
| IV
|12 May 2019 |align=center|20–16 |Diego Pérez Arvizu, QB |align=center|18,000 |
| V
|21 May 2022 |align=center|18–14 |Martín Maldonado, DL |align=center|14,000{{cite web|title=Tijuana, una sede muy especial en la LFA|url=https://lfa.mx/tijuana-una-sede-muy-especial-en-la-lfa/|website=LFA.mx|date=18 June 2022|language=es}} |
| VI
|10 June 2023 |align=center|10–0 |Octavio González, DE |Estadio Olímpico Universitario José Reyes Baeza |align=center|18,930 |
| VII
|8 June 2024 |align=center|34-14 |Jeremy Johnson, QB |align=center|10,000{{cite web | url=https://lfa.mx/dominio-total-para-caudillos-el-nuevo-bicampeon-invicto/ | title=Dominio total para Caudillos, el nuevo bicampeón invicto | date=9 June 2024 }} |
^ All MVP's are from the winning team, unless otherwise noted.
Appearances by team
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" |
| Team
!Wins !Losses !Winning !Appearances !Seasons (Champions in bold) |
|---|
| Mayas
|2 |0 |1.000 |2 |2016, 2017 |
| Caudillos
|2 |0 |1.000 |2 |2023, 2024 |
| Mexicas
|1 |0 |1.000 |1 |2018 |
| Condors
|1 |0 |1.000 |1 |2019 |
| Fundidores
|1 |0 |1.000 |1 |2022 |
| Raptors
|0 |4 |.000 |4 |2016, 2018, 2019, 2024 |
| Dinos
|0 |2 |.000 |2 |2017, 2023 |
| Gallos Negros
|0 |1 |.000 |1 |2022 |
Records
- Most Tazón México Bowl wins: 2, Mayas (I, II), 2, Caudillos (VI, VII)
- Most Tazón México Bowl Appearances: 4, Raptors (I, III, lV, VII)
- Most Points Scored Combined: 48 (VII)
- Most Points Scored by Team: 34, Caudillos (VII)
- Coach with the most victories: 2, Ernesto Alfaro (Mayas)
- Most Touchdown Passes: 2, QB Marco García (I)
- Most Rushing Touchdowns: 2, RB Omar Cojolum (I)
- Touchdown Catches: 2, WR Josué Martínez (I)
References
{{reflist}}
{{Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional}}
Category:American football in Mexico
Category:Sports events cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic