What Year Did The NFL And AFL Merge?

The National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL) merged in 1970, creating a 26-team league and setting the stage for the Super Bowl.

Introduction

The National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL) were two professional American football leagues that operated from 1920 until 1970, when they merged to form the National Football League.

The NFL was established in August 1920, while the AFL began operations in 1960. Prior to the merger, the two leagues had competed against each other for fans and players, but they were unable to agree on terms for a merger. After several failed attempts, they finally reached an agreement in 1966 and ended their business rivalry.

Today, the NFL is the largest professional American football league, with 32 teams divided into two conferences: the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). The AFL is now a division of the NFL known as the American Football Conference (AFC).

The Early Years Of The NFL

In the early years of the National Football League (NFL), there was little competitive level between the league and its chief rival, the American Football League (AFL). This began to change in 1966, when the NFL moved to expand from 14 to 16 teams. The AFL saw this as an opportunity to attempt to raid NFL rosters for talent, and a number of high-profile players did defect from the NFL to the AFL. In response, the NFL instituted a rule that any team that signed an AFL player would have to pay a hefty price in terms of draft picks.

The Rise Of The AFL

In the early 1960s, the National Football League (NFL) was the only major football league in the United States. But that began to change in 1960, when a new football league called the American Football League (AFL) was founded. The AFL quickly became a major competitor to the NFL.

In 1966, the two leagues reached an agreement to merge into one league. The first game of the new merged league, which was called the National Football League (NFL), was played on September 17, 1966.

The Merger Between The NFL And AFL

In 1966, the NFL and the American Football League (AFL) completed the most important merger in professional sports history. The agreement created a 26-team league that would feature annual playoffs and a championship game, now known as the Super Bowl.

The AFL was formed in 1959 as an eight-team rival to the NFL. The two leagues competed against each other for players and fans, but they also worked together in an effort to keep the peace between them. In 1963, they agreed to jointly televise AFL games on NBC. The following year, they agreed on a common draft of college players.

The two leagues continued to merge in 1965, with the NFL agreeing to absorb the AFL’s San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Colts, and Cleveland Browns. The two leagues also began holding joint meetings and sharing officials. Finally, on June 8, 1966, they announced that they would complete their merger effective for the start of the 1970 season.

The new league was called the National Football League (NFL), and it consisted of two conferences: the American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC). Each conference had 13 teams, divided into four divisions: East, West, Central, and Pacific.

Conclusion

The National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL) officially merged in 1970. This was a landmark event in the history of professional football in America. Prior to the merge, the two leagues were in a fierce competition for players, fans, and television revenue. The merge brought an end to this competition and created a unified professional football league that is now the largest and most popular sports league in the United States.