AFL-NFL Merger facts for kids

The AFL–NFL merger of 1970 was a huge event in American football. It was when the two main professional football leagues in the United States, the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL), decided to join forces. This merger created one big league that kept the "National Football League" name. It quickly became one of the most popular sports leagues in the United States.

What Were the AFL and NFL?

Before the merger, there were two separate professional football leagues. The NFL was the older and more established league. It had been around since 1920. The American Football League (AFL) was a newer league. It started in 1960 and quickly became a strong competitor.

A Fierce Rivalry

The NFL and AFL were big rivals. They competed to sign the best college players. They also fought for fans and TV deals. This competition made both leagues spend a lot of money. It was like two different companies trying to sell the same product.

The Birth of the Super Bowl

Even though they were rivals, the two leagues agreed to play a championship game. This game would decide the best team from both leagues. The first game was played in 1967. It was called the "AFL-NFL World Championship Game." Soon, everyone started calling it the Super Bowl. This game became very popular.

Why the Leagues Merged

The rivalry between the AFL and NFL was exciting for fans. But it was also very costly for the team owners. They were spending huge amounts of money to sign players. They realized that working together would be better.

The Merger Agreement

In 1966, the owners of both leagues secretly met. They agreed to merge into one league. This agreement had a few main parts:

• They would start playing the Super Bowl every year.
• The two leagues would fully combine in 1970.
• The new league would be called the National Football League.
• All teams from both leagues would join the new NFL.

How the Merger Changed Football

When the merger officially happened in 1970, the NFL became much bigger. It had 26 teams. To make things fair, the teams were divided into two conferences.

The New Conferences

The new NFL was split into two groups:

• The National Football Conference (NFC)
• The American Football Conference (AFC)

All ten former AFL teams joined the AFC. Three teams from the old NFL (Baltimore, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh) also moved to the AFC. The remaining thirteen old NFL teams formed the NFC. This setup created a balanced league.

A Stronger League

The merger made professional football much stronger. It ended the expensive rivalry. It also made the Super Bowl the ultimate championship game. The new, bigger NFL became incredibly popular. It is now one of the most watched sports leagues in the world. The merger helped football grow into the huge sport it is today.

Images for kids

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  AFL and NFL teams at the time of the 1970 merger. Following the merger, all ten former AFL teams as well as Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Baltimore from the pre-merger NFL joined the AFC. All thirteen remaining NFL teams joined the NFC.

See also

In Spanish: Fusión de la AFL-NFL para niños