When Did the AFL and NFL Merge?
Contents
The AFL and NFL merged in 1966, creating the Super Bowl.
The History of the NFL and AFL
The National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL) were two professional American football leagues that competed against each other. The NFL was founded in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) before renaming itself the National Football League in 1922. The AFL was founded in 1959. The two leagues merged in 1970 to form the NFL we know today.
The NFL is Founded
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). The NFL is one of the four major North American professional sports leagues, the highest professional level of American football in the world, the governmental body for operation of the league, and largest professional sport league by revenue in North America.
The AFL is Founded
In 1959, a group of eight men – led by Texas oilman Lamar Hunt – met in Chicago to discuss the formation of a new professional football league. They were disturbed by the level of control that the National Football League (NFL) had over the sport and believed there was room for another major league. They also thought that television might be ready to support a second football league.
The group decided to form the American Football League (AFL). The first season was set for 1960, with teams in Houston, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York, Oakland and San Diego.
The Merger Between the NFL and AFL
On June 8, 1966, the NFL and AFL announced that they would merge. This was a huge moment in sports history as the two biggest football leagues would now be one. The merger would not be finalized until the 1970 season, but this was a monumental moment for both the NFL and AFL.
Why the Two Leagues Merged
In the early 1960s, the National Football League (NFL) was the most popular sport in the United States, but it faced a serious competitor in the form of the upstart American Football League (AFL). The AFL began play in 1960 and quickly established itself as a legitimate rival to the NFL, with several of its teams (notably the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets) attracting large fanbases.
The two leagues began talks of a possible merger in 1966, but those talks broke down over money. The NFL was unwilling to offer generous financial terms to the AFL, and so the two leagues continued to compete against each other. In 1970, however, they finally reached an agreement to merge, with the AFL-NFL World Championship Game (later renamed the Super Bowl) becoming the premier event in professional football.
How the Merger Affected the Two Leagues
The merger between the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL) was a turning point for both leagues. The NFL was the older, more established league, while the AFL was the upstart challenger. The two leagues had been in competition for players and fans since the AFL’s inception in 1960.
The merger allowed the two leagues to pool their resources and create a stronger, more competitive product. It also gave rise to the Super Bowl, which has become one of the most popular sporting events in the world.
The NFL and AFL had been in talks about a potential merger as early as 1966, but those talks broke down over financial disagreements. The two sides resumed talks in 1970, and an agreement was finally reached in June of that year.
Under the terms of the merger, each league would keep its own name and structure, but there would be one unified set of rules. The two leagues would also share television revenue and merge their player pools into one draft.
The merger took effect in 1970, and the first Super Bowl was played in 1967 between the NFL’s Green Bay Packers and AFL’s Kansas City Chiefs. The Packers won, 35-10.
The Legacy of the NFL and AFL
On June 8, 1966, the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL) came to an agreement to merge. This was a monumental moment in professional football history. The two leagues had been competing against each other for years, but now they would be joining forces. This merger would not only change the landscape of professional football, but it would also change the way the sport is played.
How the Merger Changed the Face of Football
In the early 1960s, the National Football League (NFL) was the undisputed king of American sports. But a rival professional league, the American Football League (AFL), was gaining popularity and threatening to steal away fans. In an effort to squash the AFL, the NFL decided to merge with its competitor in 1966.
The merger brought about several changes to professional football, including the creation of two conferences (the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference), a playoff system, and most importantly, it made the AFL-NFL World Championship Game (now known as the Super Bowl) into America’s biggest annual sporting event.
The Impact of the Merger on Today’s NFL
In the intervening 50 years, the NFL has only continued to grow in popularity, and today it is one of the most watched professional sports leagues in the world. The AFL-NFL merger was a watershed moment in American sports, and it helped to pave the way for the modern NFL as we know it today.
