At the beginning of the 20th century, football was just emerging as a popular spectator sport in the Midwest. By the beginning of the 21st century, professional football be seen as the most popular sport in the United States, creating billions of dollars in revenue for NFL clubs and TV networks that cover the games. It started with the formation of the first major professional football league in the 1920s.
Formation of NFL
Aug. 20, 1920, marked the formation of the American Professional Football Conference, featuring inaugural members from the state of Ohio. A few months later, teams from Indiana, New York and Illinois joined the league. Two years later, the inclusion of more teams, such as the Green Bay Packers, prompted the league to re-brand itself as the National Football League. As the sport continued to gain popularity, teams emerged in major cities such as New York, Philadelphia and Chicago. A record crowd of 73,000 gathered to watch the New York Giants play at the original Polo Grounds in 1925, solidifying the NFL as a major sports league.
Formation of AFL
A contract dispute between the Chicago Bears and player Harold Grange led to the formation of the American Football League in 1926. After Grange's manager demanded a five-figure salary and a one-third ownership in the Bears, Chicago declined the offer. So the manager decided to band together with other football enthusiasts and formed the AFL. After a dismal first season, the AFL folded. The name was revived in 1959 by Dallas native Lamar Hunt. Its first members included Dallas, Denver, Minneapolis and later, Buffalo. The two leagues battled for players, TV rights and prestige.
AFL-NFL Merger
In 1966, representatives from both leagues met in secret to hammer out details regarding a possible merger, which would keep the leagues' alignments but feature regular inter-league games and a championship game featuring the two league champions. Congress approved the merger on Oct. 21, 1966, and the merger forming what is now known as the National Football League was finalized in 1970.
Super Bowl I
After the merger of the AFL and NFL in 1966, plans were set in motion to create the ultimate football championship, to be known as the Super Bowl. CBS and NBC won the rights to the event for $9.5 million. Super Bowl I, played in January 1967, featured the NFC champion Green Bay Packers versus the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs. Bart Starr completed 16 out of 23 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Packers to a 35-10 victory.
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