You can see the legacy of the AFL in: Los Angeles Chargers (changed to classic look, returned to Los Angeles) New York Jets (changed to classic look) Kansas City Chiefs (have had the AFL logo on their uniforms for decades)
I remember prior to the merger, the NFL used the excuse that adding names to jerseys meant the numbers would have to be reduced in size, making them harder to read at the games, and on television. A spurious argument, obviously.
The bigger point is that the numbers didn't get meaningfully smaller after they finally added names - completely fabricated argument, the NFL has always put an emphasis on 'the shield' over 'individuals', this was nothing new back then even
Leonard Dillon A lot of the markets it is targeting are good markets to target. Tampa Bay and DC haven’t had a good football team in forever and ST Louis lost its team. The renegades will definitely fail though or be moved (they should move to Birmingham).
I predict the former. Vince McMahon hasn't made any moves to transition away from the WWE. He's more hands on with the product than ever before, re-writing entire show scripts himself hours before air time and always demanding the final say in anything that goes on TV. He's gonna try to run both companies, and it doesn't bode well for the XFL if the decline in ratings and live attendance is anything to go by.
@@neighslayer768 I'm hoping Vince will delegate more this time. He's 74 years old now and already puts in an insane amount work for a man of his age. 20 years ago he could run both, but with age against him and NXT to at least oversee I think he'll have to be more hands off this time.
AFL was a total positive for the modern NFL. Could XFL or arena make a dent in the NFL’s marketshare? In theory. But in practice, highly doubtful. NFL’s connections to city governments and ownership of existing infrastructure (mostly stadiums, and by proxy team facilities) isn’t going to be shaken by the XFL or any other startup football competitor. A more likely competitor would be an entirely different professional sport, rather than a football analog.
Plus, I think the modern NFL is more dynamic and open to change. Just look at all the throwback stuff, new gear, new rules, etc. They'd be likely to adopt suggestions from others rather than push them into creating their own alternative.
Beauty on a Barn Budget thank you for the clarification! I knew that there were high level government connections for lots of the stadiums but figured that couldn’t be 100%. Thanks for teaching me something!
The AAFC of the 1940’s actually managed to get three teams into the NFL: the Browns, the 49ers, and the Colts. The Colts, however, eventually folded, but when a team was given to Baltimore again, they were once again named the Colts
I had been down a Wikipedia wormhole last week about Cleveland Browns history and also leagues merging with the NFL, so I learned that fact. That original Colts team went bust after a single season in the NFL in 1950, with a new Colts team coming in 1953.
@@CandGoods The Baltimore Colts folded and were incorporated by the NFL into the New York Yanks/Bulldogs. The Yanks became the Dallas Texans for the 1952 season (one of the worst teams ever fielded), who again folded at the end of the season. The Texans' assets were granted to the new Baltimore Colts franchise. The Colts do not claim history of any team prior to 1953. Funner fact: The Dayton Triangles (founded in 1913 and were a charter member of the NFL in 1920) were sold in 1929 and moved to Brooklyn as the Dodgers (subsequently the Tigers). Following the 1944 season (because of player shortages due to WWII), the Tigers merged with the New York Bulldogs. So the Indianapolis Colts franchise can technically be traced back to 1913 in the Ohio League as a the Triangles and could be considered the second-oldest NFL franchise, eclipsed only be the Arizona Cardinals (founded in 1898).
Other fun fact: the Browns' utter dominance of the AAFC (they won all 4 of the league's championships) drew way more fans than the Cleveland Rams, so the Rams relocated to LA.
Kylie McInnes I was about to mention that, even though the Cleveland Rams won the NFL championship in 1945 before relocating a year later, it was still overshadowed by the fact that the Browns were more popular and more dominant. The Browns also helped transition the NFL to a more modern era with the influence of Paul Brown. I’m a Steelers fan but you gotta give credit where it’s due.
The AAFC gave us the SF 49ers, the first Baltimore Colts, and the Cleveland Browns (who won the NFL title in their first season). They did give us something.
Per the Colts' perspective, the AAFC incarnation of the Miami Seahawks/Baltimore Colts folded and merged with the New York Yanks/Bulldogs who then became the Dallas Texans who folded after the 1952 season. The Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts were awarded the Texans franchise for 1953, and that is where the current team views their beginning.
@@Kylora2112 Not quite. The AAFC Baltimore Colts did fold in 1950, but their assets were (as far as I know) not merged with the New York Yanks. The rest of what you said is correct, however; the Yanks folded after 1951, and their assets were used to start the Dallas Texans team in 1952...who folded after that season, and their assets were used to start the modern Colts franchise. I'd call the modern Colts a spiritual successor, not a direct successor.
Fun fact: The Super Bowl got its name because Lamar Hunt heard about the popular bouncy ball toy the super ball and thought it would be the perfect name for the championship game.
He just threw it out there as a placeholder, even saying it was "a name which could obviously be improved upon", but it stuck. And that's why we're coming up on "Super Bowl LIV" instead of "NFL(C)-AFL(C) World Championship 54" like Super Bowls I and II were officially were named. Super Bowl III was the "first" "Super Bowl".
You still see that legacy in gameplay today. The AFC is still more focused on a pass game, and the NFC is still more focused on the run. It is no coincidence that big passers, like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Phillip Rivers all came from the AFC, while big running quarterbacks like Donovan McNabb, Dante Culpepper and Michael Vick all came from the NFC. Good video. I've heard the story so many times from a sports perspective. It's nice to hear it from the business perspective.
@paula The consensus on why the NFC dominated the Super Bowls in the 80s and 90s is that the AFC got too pass heavy and come the post season could not overcome the more physically dominate run driven play of the NFC. Everything swings back and forth to counter a passing attack you need smaller faster defensive players but if you go too far in that direction then teams with big strong running back will be able to run through your defense. Likewise if you get too big and heavy on your defense then faster receivers with good QBs will tear you up.
paula Like others, I think going all into one (in this case, passing) is a mistake. It makes teams too predictable and plays more easy to stop. (Same with running.) I think a blend of both is the ideal and would provide the best, most complex and entertaining games. Take this season for example. The Ravens’ QB, Lamar Jackson, is able to make so many good plays because he has the option to pass the ball, run it himself, or have someone else run it. This diverse array of options makes it harder to protect against and as we can see, they did quite well. Yes, they’re not going to the Super Bowl, but they got very close to it and they were always interesting to watch every step of the way.
What Company Man forgot to mention was also the footballs were different - the AFL used the Spalding J5V (the ends were more pointed to cut through the air better), where the NFL used the old Duke.
Harry Engel they lost a lot of money on expansion, despite the early seasons were successful, but they tried too hard to compete with NFL, it caused the NFL to not allow their networks to show USFL their games on their network!
@Rowdy Jr. The WFL was a complete shitshow its entire run. The USFL was pretty solid as a spring league that didn't try to directly compete with the NFL (outside of players) until Donald Trump convinced the USFL owners to move to a fall schedule to compete with the NFL and got destroyed.
Liam Gallagher's Great Big Rock and Roll Star Ego All of which made him the number two AFL QB at best, behind Len Dawson. I’d argue he was third behind Dawson and Jack Kemp,
@Intellectual One So what you're saying is nothing, he has a worst W-L record than Eli, less passing yards, less touchdowns, less playoff appearances and less Super Bowls than Eli but yeah, Eli can't hold Namath's jock strap.
Lamar Hunts Dad was rich. When a reporter told him his son's league had lost a million dollars it's first year he said "Well at this rate he'll only be able to stay in business for another...100 years!"
Thank you, as always. I was surprised to learn there had been previous competing leagues naming themselves "AFL." You'd think that would be a bad idea, naming oneself after a previously failed product, but obviously they did MORE than enough things right for it not to matter. Again, thanks, Company Man!
I’ll never forget the year Wayne Gretzky kicked a hole in one from half-court that put the Montreal Expos up by a lap and won them the first ever Wrestlemania.
Along with signing Joe Namath, the AFL also mined a lot of great players from historically black colleges. Another player other than George Blanda who was cast off by the NFL was a quarterback named Len Dawson. He barely played in the NFL with the Pittsburg Steelers and Cleveland Browns for five years. He went on to have an outstanding career with the Kansas City Chiefs leading them to their first Super Bowl victory. I am sure there are many other NFL “rejects” who had the last laugh with the NFL.
Going back 30+ years ago, former NFL coach and then current football TV analyst/personality John Madden would speak up from time to time about the differences between the "American League" versus "National League" types. National League types: Are a rough-and-tumble lot in life; lacking finesse. They eat red meat. Drinks beer. Love to get their game jersey dirty with playing in the mud on the football field. Outdoor football is the way to play the game. American League types: Are refined and well-groomed; possessing finesse. Prefer to eat salads and quiches. Consumes wine. Would rather play football indoors on artificial surfaces so not to muss-up their game jersey. I feel fortunate to have lived during the era of John Madden, both as a football coach and TV personality.
3:00 The big thing was money. The AFL owners as a whole had way more wealth than the NFL owners. Which lead to the AFL getting better players because they could pay them.
As someone who knows nothing about American Football, this video was extremely enlightening and informational! I know understand what this whole 'NCF NFC' thing my buddies ramble about means!
The All America Football Conference (AAFC)formed in the post war USA also had an impact on the NFL. On of the AAFC teams formed in 1946 was the Cleveland Browns. The Cleveland Rams were the current NFL champs and moved to Los Angeles. The Browns dominated the AAFC and became a part of the NFL in 1950. The upstart Browns defeated the Los Angeles Rams, 30-27 for the 1950 NFL championship. There was another team that accompanied the Browns into the NFL in 1950, the San Francisco 49ers.
A common error is the mention that the leagues merged in 1970. The merger was completed in 1966. The only reason they maintained separate schedules until 1970, was due to the existing TV contracts. The AFL was locked into NBC until the end of the 1969 season, and the NFL was locked into CBS until then. The TV contracts were renegotiated when they expired in 1970, with the NFL (NFC) remaining with CBS, and the AFL (AFC) remaining with NBC. That's when ABC was brought into the fold with Monday Night Football. Interconference games were played on the network of the visiting team because in those days, most home games were blacked out within a 75 mile radius of the home market, so televised games featuring the home team were exclusively road games, and this interconference TV arrangement was so that fans in each market could always find their teams' road games on the same network, meaning, for example, if you are a Detroit Lions fan, if the Lions were playing at NFC opponents Chicago or Green Bay, or they were playing at AFC opponents Buffalo or Denver, those games would all be found on CBS. Apparently, two networks airing one football game each on Sundays made it too difficult to find your team if their games could be broadcast on either network.
The AAF was a really fun startup league, with the focus being on a mobile experience where fans could not only watch a real-time gamecast (not live picture broadcast, but dots on a field representing players and the ball), but also place virtual bets on the games. I'm sad to see it go belly up before their first season was complete. Go Birmingham Iron!
Great video! I'd love to see a future video with some of the lesser alternate football leagues, including the first XFL, Arena League, and AAF (a video about the implosion of the AAF would be great). Another idea would be the origin of some of the rules in football, for example the innovations of the Carlisle Indian School football team, who really drove a lot of the early rules codifications due to their constant innovations that forced frustrated opponents to complain about the game (and they are just a fascinating story in general).
XFL starts in Feb 2020,i already bought season tickets in St Louis. Theres 8 teams which could be added to the NFL as 2 new regions with 4 teams in both the NFC and AFC. They just have to show the NFL they can compete with the big boys.
Ehhhh... I don't fully know about that. The rule changes are not real good and make it less like football, and more like rugby (e.t. the kick is replaced by a scrimmage after a touchdown for the extra point) Also, Los angeles and New York would get another team (but i would be happy for san diego to have a team again.)
It’s crazy to me that out of all 8 AFL teams that started in 1960, only two of them, the Bills and my Broncos, kept their names throughout their entire franchise’s history AND never once moved cities.
Al Davis (Oakland Raiders) is also one of the reasons for the merger. There was a gentleman's agreement between the leagues to not poach players from either side. They could switch, but only after being cut by their existing team. Davis began openly recruiting players from anywhere. This created a fear of a bidding war that neither side wanted, or thought they could afford.
Technically, it was the NFL's Giants that signed kicker Pete Gogolak away from the AFL's Bills that provoked Al Davis to wage war against the NFL. Gogolak wanted more money than what the Bills were willing to offer him.
For a very detailed description of how this all happened, you may want to read "America's Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation". It's all in there.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-America_Football_Conference Before the AFL the AAFC wound up merging with the NFL. One of those teams still exists - and are playing in the Super Bowl this Sunday. BTW the term "Super Bowl" was coined in 1969, the Jets-Colts game was the first one to be actually called the Super Bowl.
As a Miami Dolphins fan, I definitely have a soft spot for the old AFL - Miami was an AFL expansion team that began playing in the 1966 season under coach George Wilson.
I'm not sure I'd say "nothing" came from the AAFC--the Browns and 49ers got their start there (as well as the original Baltimore Colts, but they folded a year after joining the NFL). The Browns, after winning all 4 AAFC titles, immediately became the dominant NFL team of the 1950's. It was also the first professional league to have franchises on the West Coast, or at least the first to span the country.
The AFL's willingness to scout and draft black players from the south might be the greatest innovation they introduced to the stodgy NFL, in my opinion. Bonus: Lamar Hunt coined the term "Super Bowl" after watching one of his kids playing with a Super Ball.
@@yurte1460 but im not in canada, im aware people care about it there but here its very meh, you rarely see hockey team logos the way you do other sports
Also worth noting that at the time deacon jones a hall of fame nfl defensive lineman among others believed that in the 1960s the nfl had an unspoken quota about the number of black players per team. That’s why a team like the Kansas City Chiefs were able to build a team of great white and black players as many young black players were overlooked by the NFL. So next time you think about the racist chiefs namesake remember they were one of the first pro football teams to field a roster with a majority of minorities giving opportunities to great players and men when others wouldn’t !
Hate the association of "Chiefs" with Native Americans. We forget so easily that they're named "Chiefs" because "Chief" was the nickname of Kansas City's then-mayor, who gets credit for luring the Dallas Texans to Kansas City.
ZhangtheGreat very good history nugget there! However this was just a response to people having all this fake outrage over kc’s name for being “racist”. Ironically however yes they were named after the mayor like you said
As a LONG TIME Kansas City Chiefs fan, I vividly remember the days of the AFL and Kansas City's Municipal Stadium as home of the Chiefs. Some of the greatest football games I've ever witnessed took place there, along with the talents of many players who eventually made the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. It's my belief that if the AFL never existed, the NFL never would have seen the growth it did over the decades and the players would still be underpaid like they were back in the 1960's and even into the 1970's. I feel quite fortunate to have lived through those days and years as I treasure memories from those wonderful days of the American Football League. I personally wish the two leagues had never merged. Long Live the AFL!
A significant factor to consider with the success of the merger was Pete Rozelle being the NFL Commissioner. It is doubtful we'll ever see another commissioner with the wisdom and guidance he did for the league in its unprecedented growth in the 1960s.
@10:28....look at the NY Jets preseason uniforms against the Patriots. The old Titans became the Jets only a few months prior to preseason so the Jets played in all white uniforms with green numbers. When the regular season started(1963)is when they get their new uniforms(with the 1st Jet logo).
Rowdy Jr. go Seahawks for sure! Yeah I didn’t mention that cause I was really talking about the nfc teams from before the merger. But yeah Seattle is the only team to switch up conferences.
@Rowdy Jr. actually no the Seahawks were originally in the NFC for their 1st season. They came in the same year as the Buccaneers and the NFL decided that they wanted both Expansion teams to play every team within their 1st 2 years. So the Buccaneers were in the AFC their 1st year and the Seahawks were in the NFL their 1st year. Then in year two they swapped spots and Seattle went to the AFC and Tampa went to the NFC. It stayed that way until the 2002 division realignment when the Seahawks went back to the NFC.
Former fighter ace, medal of honor recipient and South Dakota governor, Joe Foss was the first Commissioner of the American Football League. He oversaw the emergence of the league and for the next seven years he helped it grow. He was instrumental in making both of the lucrative television deals (the initial five-year, $10.6 million contract with ABC in 1960 and the next one with NBC for a whopping $36 million). He stepped down as commissioner in April 1966 only a few months before the merger of AFL and NFL. I think it was a net positive (combining of forces). In the modern mass media environment anything is possible so maybe there is a new league waiting to be made. Who ever thought playing video games would ever be a multi-million dollars thing?
The AAFC merged with the NFL and brought 3 franchises into the league(49ers, Browns, Colts). Colts folded after one year, and were reincarnated two years later. The new version was unaffiliated with the AAFC version, only the 49ers and Browns have AAFC ties today. It's a little more than "nothing really came of it" as the video described. Getting a deal like the AAFC was one of the goals of the AFL, they just were even more successful, and got a better deal than the AAFC.
The AFL-NFL merger stands in stark contrast to the ABA-NBA merger. All 10 AFL teams were merged into the NFL when the two leagues merged, compared to just four of the 11 ABA teams that made it into the NBA. And in the history of the AFL only two teams moved locations, compared to the almost constant series of moves that took place in the ABA (only two teams stayed put in the league's existence, and seven teams moved at least twice in 10 years). Maybe it's a testament to the management of the AFL.
Lacrosse is an interesting sport to watch for a similar case. You currently have the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) who has been in business for a while now, but doesn't have that accessibility of being on national TV or anything like that. Just last year, former MLL star Paul Rabil launched the Premiere Lacrosse League (PLL) which runs on a tour based model that allows it to be seen by a new city every week. They also air on NBC and are all in on social media and marketing, which has begun to shake up the field of professional lacrosse. They also did everything mentioned in the video- They've become accessible, gotten some of the best players in the world, and made new rules to add to the excitement and accessibility.
from my understanding, when the AFL was created, it was aimed to not just compete with the NFL, but to give cities who didn't have NFL representation a team, and to eventually merge with the NFL, both of which happened very quickly.
3:45 For those who don't know, I will write the team names updated 2021 in the same order (across) as they are there. New York Jets Los Angeles Chargers New England Patriots Denver Broncos Buffalo Bills Oakland Raiders Tennessee Titans Kansas City Chiefs
You missed the single bigger difference between the two leagues which was the AFL was WAY more integrated than the NFL. The AFL was more willing than the NFL to scout and draft players from historically black universities and play them in positions like middle linebacker or free safety which are typically seen as the positions that call defensive plays. Also while the NFL had an unwritten rule on how many black players they would have on the field the AFL basically said the best players will play no matter what. This sort of continued after the merger with the Steelers, who switched to the AFC, and the Broncos having the first black quarterbacks. This talent influx from the HBCUs also showed up in the 70’s with how the AFC dominated the 70’s.
AAFC challenged the NFL and while not as successful as the AFL still managed to get 3 of its teams into the NFL. The Cleveland Browns, San Fransisco 49ers and the Original Baltimore Colts (the one that failed in 1950).
Should talk about the Dallas Cowboys and how they dominated the fandom for so long. National TV contracts, cheerleaders, even the little arrows in the field were all Cowboys and made them so popular for markets lacking a team that NFL Films named them “America’s Team.”
I was 11 years old when the first super bowl was played. I'm pretty sure that it was already nicknamed 'Super Bowl' even though not officially named that. I remember my father thinking that 'Super Bowl' was a stupid name because all the other 'bowls' were college games, and probably because the AFL was considered lesser. Also there was not all that much interest in it. I think to a lot of fans it was more of an exhibition game. Another thing that the AFL introduced, if memory serves, was wild card playoff spots. I remember thinking it wasn't fair for a second place team to have a chance of winning the whole championship.
You can see the legacy of the AFL in:
Los Angeles Chargers (changed to classic look, returned to Los Angeles)
New York Jets (changed to classic look)
Kansas City Chiefs (have had the AFL logo on their uniforms for decades)
They were originally only in LA for 1 season
Joe Blow And? Their point still stands.
Chargers were in San Diego for the majority of the time in the AFL where they won a championship in 1963.
So technically they’ll always be known as the San Diego Chargers, even during their AFL days
Harry Engel same for me too
I remember prior to the merger, the NFL used the excuse that adding names to jerseys meant the numbers would have to be reduced in size, making them harder to read at the games, and on television. A spurious argument, obviously.
I'm surprised they didn't go for the whole "that would make names/individuals more important than positions" argument.
Eh, not a completely spurious argument. Television resolution in the 50's was terrible compared to now.
Crayton Caswell, true, but I never had trouble reading names or numbers back then.
Plus post-merger, the NFL adopted the AFL standard. Of course, my eyes were better years ago.
The bigger point is that the numbers didn't get meaningfully smaller after they finally added names - completely fabricated argument, the NFL has always put an emphasis on 'the shield' over 'individuals', this was nothing new back then even
I’m more excited to see how much of a dumpster fire or an improvement the XFL is going to be this year.
Leonard Dillon A lot of the markets it is targeting are good markets to target. Tampa Bay and DC haven’t had a good football team in forever and ST Louis lost its team. The renegades will definitely fail though or be moved (they should move to Birmingham).
I really hope it's one or the other. Their second chance gives the NFL some legitimate competition or it completely implodes on itself.
I predict the former. Vince McMahon hasn't made any moves to transition away from the WWE. He's more hands on with the product than ever before, re-writing entire show scripts himself hours before air time and always demanding the final say in anything that goes on TV. He's gonna try to run both companies, and it doesn't bode well for the XFL if the decline in ratings and live attendance is anything to go by.
We'll know during the first broadcast based on whether there are any WWE-related shenanigans or not.
@@neighslayer768 I'm hoping Vince will delegate more this time. He's 74 years old now and already puts in an insane amount work for a man of his age. 20 years ago he could run both, but with age against him and NXT to at least oversee I think he'll have to be more hands off this time.
AFL was a total positive for the modern NFL.
Could XFL or arena make a dent in the NFL’s marketshare? In theory. But in practice, highly doubtful. NFL’s connections to city governments and ownership of existing infrastructure (mostly stadiums, and by proxy team facilities) isn’t going to be shaken by the XFL or any other startup football competitor.
A more likely competitor would be an entirely different professional sport, rather than a football analog.
Football's biggest competitor is going to become futbol as the percentage of America's population that's actually American continues to shrink.
Plus, I think the modern NFL is more dynamic and open to change. Just look at all the throwback stuff, new gear, new rules, etc. They'd be likely to adopt suggestions from others rather than push them into creating their own alternative.
Beauty on a Barn Budget thank you for the clarification! I knew that there were high level government connections for lots of the stadiums but figured that couldn’t be 100%. Thanks for teaching me something!
What I like about the new XFL is they have the kickoffs placed the old way so they don't have touchbacks all the time.
Maybe the XFL could merge with the NFL as a secondary season like what happened to Football Soccer.
The AAFC of the 1940’s actually managed to get three teams into the NFL: the Browns, the 49ers, and the Colts. The Colts, however, eventually folded, but when a team was given to Baltimore again, they were once again named the Colts
I had been down a Wikipedia wormhole last week about Cleveland Browns history and also leagues merging with the NFL, so I learned that fact. That original Colts team went bust after a single season in the NFL in 1950, with a new Colts team coming in 1953.
@@CandGoods The Baltimore Colts folded and were incorporated by the NFL into the New York Yanks/Bulldogs. The Yanks became the Dallas Texans for the 1952 season (one of the worst teams ever fielded), who again folded at the end of the season. The Texans' assets were granted to the new Baltimore Colts franchise. The Colts do not claim history of any team prior to 1953.
Funner fact: The Dayton Triangles (founded in 1913 and were a charter member of the NFL in 1920) were sold in 1929 and moved to Brooklyn as the Dodgers (subsequently the Tigers). Following the 1944 season (because of player shortages due to WWII), the Tigers merged with the New York Bulldogs. So the Indianapolis Colts franchise can technically be traced back to 1913 in the Ohio League as a the Triangles and could be considered the second-oldest NFL franchise, eclipsed only be the Arizona Cardinals (founded in 1898).
Smart women
Other fun fact: the Browns' utter dominance of the AAFC (they won all 4 of the league's championships) drew way more fans than the Cleveland Rams, so the Rams relocated to LA.
Kylie McInnes I was about to mention that, even though the Cleveland Rams won the NFL championship in 1945 before relocating a year later, it was still overshadowed by the fact that the Browns were more popular and more dominant. The Browns also helped transition the NFL to a more modern era with the influence of Paul Brown. I’m a Steelers fan but you gotta give credit where it’s due.
WHA vs NHL would be really cool
Whats that
Hockey
Hansner WHA stands for world hockey association
@@samuelwoods7832 The league that brought us the Oilers, Whalers, Nordiques, and original Jets.
Keith Pixton yeah I know
The AAFC gave us the SF 49ers, the first Baltimore Colts, and the Cleveland Browns (who won the NFL title in their first season). They did give us something.
Per the Colts' perspective, the AAFC incarnation of the Miami Seahawks/Baltimore Colts folded and merged with the New York Yanks/Bulldogs who then became the Dallas Texans who folded after the 1952 season. The Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts were awarded the Texans franchise for 1953, and that is where the current team views their beginning.
@@Kylora2112 Not quite. The AAFC Baltimore Colts did fold in 1950, but their assets were (as far as I know) not merged with the New York Yanks. The rest of what you said is correct, however; the Yanks folded after 1951, and their assets were used to start the Dallas Texans team in 1952...who folded after that season, and their assets were used to start the modern Colts franchise. I'd call the modern Colts a spiritual successor, not a direct successor.
Fun fact: The Super Bowl got its name because Lamar Hunt heard about the popular bouncy ball toy the super ball and thought it would be the perfect name for the championship game.
heard that story too
He just threw it out there as a placeholder, even saying it was "a name which could obviously be improved upon", but it stuck. And that's why we're coming up on "Super Bowl LIV" instead of "NFL(C)-AFL(C) World Championship 54" like Super Bowls I and II were officially were named. Super Bowl III was the "first" "Super Bowl".
I remember hearing that story. I think his daughter was playing with one. I think I might actually have a super ball!
Vi Pa That and it was a pun on the college football bowl games.
The media heard the name and used it
Make a remake of NFL vs XFL after it debuts, cause its a whole new company now with new rules, new business methods and new ownership
@Charles Mandracchia thats why I said after it debuts
Charles Mandracchia well the company man CAN examine XFL in 2001 and then follow that up with XFL 2020 once the season ends
@@leonarddillon256 He did the 2001 XFL vs NFL already, but this is completely different, just the same name
Buddy Mode it’s gonna end the same way tbqh
After their first season we'll see if there's enough worth talking about.
You still see that legacy in gameplay today. The AFC is still more focused on a pass game, and the NFC is still more focused on the run. It is no coincidence that big passers, like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Phillip Rivers all came from the AFC, while big running quarterbacks like Donovan McNabb, Dante Culpepper and Michael Vick all came from the NFC.
Good video. I've heard the story so many times from a sports perspective. It's nice to hear it from the business perspective.
@paula The consensus on why the NFC dominated the Super Bowls in the 80s and 90s is that the AFC got too pass heavy and come the post season could not overcome the more physically dominate run driven play of the NFC. Everything swings back and forth to counter a passing attack you need smaller faster defensive players but if you go too far in that direction then teams with big strong running back will be able to run through your defense. Likewise if you get too big and heavy on your defense then faster receivers with good QBs will tear you up.
It's been one company for decades, what makes you think they operate differently now, as in passing versus rushing as a model?
paula
Like others, I think going all into one (in this case, passing) is a mistake. It makes teams too predictable and plays more easy to stop. (Same with running.) I think a blend of both is the ideal and would provide the best, most complex and entertaining games. Take this season for example. The Ravens’ QB, Lamar Jackson, is able to make so many good plays because he has the option to pass the ball, run it himself, or have someone else run it. This diverse array of options makes it harder to protect against and as we can see, they did quite well. Yes, they’re not going to the Super Bowl, but they got very close to it and they were always interesting to watch every step of the way.
Dan Fouts, John Elway, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, were all AFC.
Dan Fouts,John Elway, Jim Kelly, and Dan Marino, were all AFL.
I love how well spoken you are when narrating these videos, very informative and well edited. Keep up the awesome work👌👍
What Company Man forgot to mention was also the footballs were different - the AFL used the Spalding J5V (the ends were more pointed to cut through the air better), where the NFL used the old Duke.
6:00 can also compare to Bobby Hull signing with the WHA Winnipeg Jets in 1972 for the new upstart league vs the NHL
Hope you do an episode on USFL it was the closest threat to NFL in the 1980s, it lasted longer than the XFL!
Rowdy Jr. that’s even more obscure than the other failed leagues!
Harry Engel they lost a lot of money on expansion, despite the early seasons were successful, but they tried too hard to compete with NFL, it caused the NFL to not allow their networks to show USFL their games on their network!
@Rowdy Jr. The WFL was a complete shitshow its entire run. The USFL was pretty solid as a spring league that didn't try to directly compete with the NFL (outside of players) until Donald Trump convinced the USFL owners to move to a fall schedule to compete with the NFL and got destroyed.
I would've loved to see the Michigan Panthers in action 😭
@@HelheimMudkip they shouldn’t have merged with Oakland Invaders, they abandoned lot of fans in Michigan.
I could have sworn this was a re-upload then I realized that was about the XFL.
Shows you how long I've been subscribed
I thought exactly the same thing
I thought you were going to do a video on the Australian AFL
Josh Frajer Glad I wasn’t the only one
Ikr thats why i clicked on this this vid
No one gives a fuck about ausgaylia
I also thought he were going to make a video about an indie band named American Football.
Arena Football League
I'd like to know more about when the NFL got big into merchandise: jerseys, posters, hats, all that stuff that fans buy to celebrate their team.
The Raiders
"The greatest player the AFL ever attracted was Joe Namath."
The Eli Manning of his day.
Even worse lol
Liam Gallagher's Great Big Rock and Roll Star Ego All of which made him the number two AFL QB at best, behind Len Dawson. I’d argue he was third behind Dawson and Jack Kemp,
Liam Gallagher's Great Big Rock and Roll Star Ego Joe Namath literally did nothing better than Eli.
@Intellectual One So what you're saying is nothing, he has a worst W-L record than Eli, less passing yards, less touchdowns, less playoff appearances and less Super Bowls than Eli but yeah, Eli can't hold Namath's jock strap.
Intellectual One He played 13 seasons with 2 playoff appearances so lets not forget the whole story and who cares about the Pro Bowl?
Lamar Hunts Dad was rich. When a reporter told him his son's league had lost a million dollars it's first year he said "Well at this rate he'll only be able to stay in business for another...100 years!"
Thank you, as always. I was surprised to learn there had been previous competing leagues naming themselves "AFL." You'd think that would be a bad idea, naming oneself after a previously failed product, but obviously they did MORE than enough things right for it not to matter. Again, thanks, Company Man!
This was so confusing cause I’m from Australia and we have AFL / Australian Football League
Even for American it's also confusing, AFL also stands for Arena Football League
No one gives a fuck about ausgaylia
Is your AFL american football or normal football
@@alephkasai9384 Australian football.
@@alephkasai9384 different to any international game, you can look up Australian football league highlights to get and understanding if you would like
I’ll never forget the year Wayne Gretzky kicked a hole in one from half-court that put the Montreal Expos up by a lap and won them the first ever Wrestlemania.
Along with signing Joe Namath, the AFL also mined a lot of great players from historically black colleges.
Another player other than George Blanda who was cast off by the NFL was a quarterback named Len Dawson. He barely played in the NFL with the Pittsburg Steelers and Cleveland Browns for five years. He went on to have an outstanding career with the Kansas City Chiefs leading them to their first Super Bowl victory. I am sure there are many other NFL “rejects” who had the last laugh with the NFL.
This man does his RESEARCH. TH-camrs who do their research will have my respect (and sub)
God bless Lamar Hunt and Bud Adams.We could not have the game we love today with out them.
Ralph Wilson, too.
A great example of how competition makes everyone better. Excellent video!
Going back 30+ years ago, former NFL coach and then current football TV analyst/personality John Madden would speak up from time to time about the differences between the "American League" versus "National League" types.
National League types:
Are a rough-and-tumble lot in life; lacking finesse.
They eat red meat.
Drinks beer.
Love to get their game jersey dirty with playing in the mud on the football field. Outdoor football is the way to play the game.
American League types:
Are refined and well-groomed; possessing finesse.
Prefer to eat salads and quiches.
Consumes wine.
Would rather play football indoors on artificial surfaces so not to muss-up their game jersey.
I feel fortunate to have lived during the era of John Madden, both as a football coach and TV personality.
AFL had color TV with NBC at that time too
let's go way back for National League vs the new American League leading to the formation of Major League Baseball in 1903
3:00 The big thing was money. The AFL owners as a whole had way more wealth than the NFL owners. Which lead to the AFL getting better players because they could pay them.
As someone who knows nothing about American Football, this video was extremely enlightening and informational! I know understand what this whole 'NCF NFC' thing my buddies ramble about means!
The All America Football Conference (AAFC)formed in the post war USA also had an impact on the NFL. On of the AAFC teams formed in 1946 was the Cleveland Browns. The Cleveland Rams were the current NFL champs and moved to Los Angeles. The Browns dominated the AAFC and became a part of the NFL in 1950. The upstart Browns defeated the Los Angeles Rams, 30-27 for the 1950 NFL championship. There was another team that accompanied the Browns into the NFL in 1950, the San Francisco 49ers.
A common error is the mention that the leagues merged in 1970. The merger was completed in 1966. The only reason they maintained separate schedules until 1970, was due to the existing TV contracts. The AFL was locked into NBC until the end of the 1969 season, and the NFL was locked into CBS until then.
The TV contracts were renegotiated when they expired in 1970, with the NFL (NFC) remaining with CBS, and the AFL (AFC) remaining with NBC. That's when ABC was brought into the fold with Monday Night Football.
Interconference games were played on the network of the visiting team because in those days, most home games were blacked out within a 75 mile radius of the home market, so televised games featuring the home team were exclusively road games, and this interconference TV arrangement was so that fans in each market could always find their teams' road games on the same network, meaning, for example, if you are a Detroit Lions fan, if the Lions were playing at NFC opponents Chicago or Green Bay, or they were playing at AFC opponents Buffalo or Denver, those games would all be found on CBS.
Apparently, two networks airing one football game each on Sundays made it too difficult to find your team if their games could be broadcast on either network.
The AAF was a really fun startup league, with the focus being on a mobile experience where fans could not only watch a real-time gamecast (not live picture broadcast, but dots on a field representing players and the ball), but also place virtual bets on the games. I'm sad to see it go belly up before their first season was complete. Go Birmingham Iron!
Love your vids! Always watch them when I’m taking a shit !
Great video! I'd love to see a future video with some of the lesser alternate football leagues, including the first XFL, Arena League, and AAF (a video about the implosion of the AAF would be great). Another idea would be the origin of some of the rules in football, for example the innovations of the Carlisle Indian School football team, who really drove a lot of the early rules codifications due to their constant innovations that forced frustrated opponents to complain about the game (and they are just a fascinating story in general).
XFL starts in Feb 2020,i already bought season tickets in St Louis. Theres 8 teams which could be added to the NFL as 2 new regions with 4 teams in both the NFC and AFC. They just have to show the NFL they can compete with the big boys.
Ehhhh... I don't fully know about that. The rule changes are not real good and make it less like football, and more like rugby (e.t. the kick is replaced by a scrimmage after a touchdown for the extra point) Also, Los angeles and New York would get another team (but i would be happy for san diego to have a team again.)
That 3 of the "competitors" to the "NFL" were all called "AFL" makes total sense as Major league baseball had the National League and American League.
It’s crazy to me that out of all 8 AFL teams that started in 1960, only two of them, the Bills and my Broncos, kept their names throughout their entire franchise’s history AND never once moved cities.
Al Davis (Oakland Raiders) is also one of the reasons for the merger. There was a gentleman's agreement between the leagues to not poach players from either side. They could switch, but only after being cut by their existing team. Davis began openly recruiting players from anywhere. This created a fear of a bidding war that neither side wanted, or thought they could afford.
Technically, it was the NFL's Giants that signed kicker Pete Gogolak away from the AFL's Bills that provoked Al Davis to wage war against the NFL. Gogolak wanted more money than what the Bills were willing to offer him.
AFL is the Australian Football League thats been running for like 100 years
AFL - Australian Rules Football
American League vs. National League Baseball
For a very detailed description of how this all happened, you may want to read "America's Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation". It's all in there.
I thought this was the Australian football league
me too!
Nah
Am I the only one hoping he meant AFL - australian football league :P
No one gives a fuck about ausgaylia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-America_Football_Conference Before the AFL the AAFC wound up merging with the NFL. One of those teams still exists - and are playing in the Super Bowl this Sunday. BTW the term "Super Bowl" was coined in 1969, the Jets-Colts game was the first one to be actually called the Super Bowl.
Always kinda wondered about this because I don't really watch many sports just grew up with them. Thanks
Al Davis was also instrumental in forcing a merger between the two leagues.
"so early my comment doesn't make any sense and is pointless in context of this video."
Wow bro quite the knee slapper you got there
This describes most of my comments.
Great idea and very timely! Nice job, and a unique take on this topic.
As a Miami Dolphins fan, I definitely have a soft spot for the old AFL - Miami was an AFL expansion team that began playing in the 1966 season under coach George Wilson.
I'm not sure I'd say "nothing" came from the AAFC--the Browns and 49ers got their start there (as well as the original Baltimore Colts, but they folded a year after joining the NFL). The Browns, after winning all 4 AAFC titles, immediately became the dominant NFL team of the 1950's. It was also the first professional league to have franchises on the West Coast, or at least the first to span the country.
The AFL's willingness to scout and draft black players from the south might be the greatest innovation they introduced to the stodgy NFL, in my opinion. Bonus: Lamar Hunt coined the term "Super Bowl" after watching one of his kids playing with a Super Ball.
Racism is the greatest market inefficiency
Can you do a video on the Microsoft Zune
I dont watch any sports, and I never knew about the AFL. But I found this all quite interesting.
Video Suggestion: NBL vs. NBA
I would love to see the NFL and CFL work something out.
Now-former Raider fan here after 25 years (was nine years old when they returned from Los Angeles).
Keith Pixton Same. It’s a travesty this dude made a documentary about the AFL and did not mention Al Davis.
Really cool video. I always wondered how it went down but never cared enough to research it myself.
Thanks @Company Man
Thank you for sharing
No problem!
anyone else think this was about australian football league v nfl
Enjoyed this story. Very similar to baseball national vs american leagues.
Still waiting on that NHL vs WHA
Your gna be waiting awhile. Hockey isnt popular, the NHL gets fewer fans on average than the MLS. Its a very neiche sport like motorsports or lacross
Globe-trotters vs Generals after that😉
@@Dragracingduleist It's the most popular sport in Canada by far and cities like Tampa, Detroit and Boston in the states have huge followings...
@@yurte1460 but im not in canada, im aware people care about it there but here its very meh, you rarely see hockey team logos the way you do other sports
Also worth noting that at the time deacon jones a hall of fame nfl defensive lineman among others believed that in the 1960s the nfl had an unspoken quota about the number of black players per team. That’s why a team like the Kansas City Chiefs were able to build a team of great white and black players as many young black players were overlooked by the NFL. So next time you think about the racist chiefs namesake remember they were one of the first pro football teams to field a roster with a majority of minorities giving opportunities to great players and men when others wouldn’t !
Hate the association of "Chiefs" with Native Americans. We forget so easily that they're named "Chiefs" because "Chief" was the nickname of Kansas City's then-mayor, who gets credit for luring the Dallas Texans to Kansas City.
ZhangtheGreat very good history nugget there! However this was just a response to people having all this fake outrage over kc’s name for being “racist”. Ironically however yes they were named after the mayor like you said
I had no idea about this! This is awesome! Already loved football now I found even more love for it.
Lamar Hunt was a good dude. Go CHIEFS!
bryen chiefs gunna lose
@@sharksharky2997 No u.
Just remember whose name adorns the Super Bowl trophy: none other than Vince Lombardi.
Shark Sharky Nope
@@shane1489 31-20
As a LONG TIME Kansas City Chiefs fan, I vividly remember the days of the AFL and Kansas City's Municipal Stadium as home of the Chiefs. Some of the greatest football games I've ever witnessed took place there, along with the talents of many players who eventually made the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. It's my belief that if the AFL never existed, the NFL never would have seen the growth it did over the decades and the players would still be underpaid like they were back in the 1960's and even into the 1970's. I feel quite fortunate to have lived through those days and years as I treasure memories from those wonderful days of the American Football League. I personally wish the two leagues had never merged. Long Live the AFL!
A significant factor to consider with the success of the merger was Pete Rozelle being the NFL Commissioner. It is doubtful we'll ever see another commissioner with the wisdom and guidance he did for the league in its unprecedented growth in the 1960s.
He is certainly better than the clowns who have held the job since.
Absolutely the AFL was a positive to the NFL... But they both needed each other..
@10:28....look at the NY Jets preseason uniforms against the Patriots. The old Titans became the Jets only a few months prior to preseason so the Jets played in all white uniforms with green numbers. When the regular season started(1963)is when they get their new uniforms(with the 1st Jet logo).
Stabbing Westward: "I won't become the thing I hate".
AFL: Hold my beer......
I clicked on this video to see the nfl vs Australian Football League
The true AFL
I like turtles but I don’t like llamas
the afl teams are the nfl teams in the afc
lol, you live in the USA?? under a rock?
All but 3 teams of the original NFL are now in the NFC. Colts, Steelers and Browns are the only AFC teams to be original NFL teams.
Rowdy Jr. go Seahawks for sure! Yeah I didn’t mention that cause I was really talking about the nfc teams from before the merger. But yeah Seattle is the only team to switch up conferences.
@Rowdy Jr. actually no the Seahawks were originally in the NFC for their 1st season. They came in the same year as the Buccaneers and the NFL decided that they wanted both Expansion teams to play every team within their 1st 2 years. So the Buccaneers were in the AFC their 1st year and the Seahawks were in the NFL their 1st year. Then in year two they swapped spots and Seattle went to the AFC and Tampa went to the NFC. It stayed that way until the 2002 division realignment when the Seahawks went back to the NFC.
Great job!!! One of your best.
Former fighter ace, medal of honor recipient and South Dakota governor, Joe Foss was the first Commissioner of the American Football League. He oversaw the emergence of the league and for the next seven years he helped it grow. He was instrumental in making both of the lucrative television deals (the initial five-year, $10.6 million contract with ABC in 1960 and the next one with NBC for a whopping $36 million). He stepped down as commissioner in April 1966 only a few months before the merger of AFL and NFL. I think it was a net positive (combining of forces). In the modern mass media environment anything is possible so maybe there is a new league waiting to be made. Who ever thought playing video games would ever be a multi-million dollars thing?
The AAFC merged with the NFL and brought 3 franchises into the league(49ers, Browns, Colts). Colts folded after one year, and were reincarnated two years later. The new version was unaffiliated with the AAFC version, only the 49ers and Browns have AAFC ties today. It's a little more than "nothing really came of it" as the video described. Getting a deal like the AAFC was one of the goals of the AFL, they just were even more successful, and got a better deal than the AAFC.
I love how Al Davis gets no credit in the beginning of the AFL
Thanks for the refreshment
..
Afl stands for Australian football league 😅 made in 1860 by Australian and its the toughest sport in the world and is only played in Australia
"Take me out to the ball game"
Adrian Just hand me a racket and point me to the rink 🏆
The AFL-NFL merger stands in stark contrast to the ABA-NBA merger. All 10 AFL teams were merged into the NFL when the two leagues merged, compared to just four of the 11 ABA teams that made it into the NBA. And in the history of the AFL only two teams moved locations, compared to the almost constant series of moves that took place in the ABA (only two teams stayed put in the league's existence, and seven teams moved at least twice in 10 years). Maybe it's a testament to the management of the AFL.
If anyone wants a deeper dive into the AFL's history, seek out the NFL/Showtime documentary "Full Color Football."
For the algorithm. Great video by the way.
Lacrosse is an interesting sport to watch for a similar case. You currently have the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) who has been in business for a while now, but doesn't have that accessibility of being on national TV or anything like that. Just last year, former MLL star Paul Rabil launched the Premiere Lacrosse League (PLL) which runs on a tour based model that allows it to be seen by a new city every week. They also air on NBC and are all in on social media and marketing, which has begun to shake up the field of professional lacrosse. They also did everything mentioned in the video- They've become accessible, gotten some of the best players in the world, and made new rules to add to the excitement and accessibility.
I'd say ultimate frisbee has a better shot than lacrosse
from my understanding, when the AFL was created, it was aimed to not just compete with the NFL, but to give cities who didn't have NFL representation a team, and to eventually merge with the NFL, both of which happened very quickly.
This guy should have about 100 million subscribers
3:45 For those who don't know, I will write the team names updated 2021 in the same order (across) as they are there.
New York Jets Los Angeles Chargers
New England Patriots Denver Broncos
Buffalo Bills Oakland Raiders
Tennessee Titans Kansas City Chiefs
“Nothing came from the AAFC.”
...except the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. Just saying.
...like he said...
@@RyTrapp0 dang
Anyone thought he would talk about Australian football?
I cant be the only one that thought he was gonna compare AFL the Aussie sport to NFL right? XD
You missed the single bigger difference between the two leagues which was the AFL was WAY more integrated than the NFL. The AFL was more willing than the NFL to scout and draft players from historically black universities and play them in positions like middle linebacker or free safety which are typically seen as the positions that call defensive plays. Also while the NFL had an unwritten rule on how many black players they would have on the field the AFL basically said the best players will play no matter what. This sort of continued after the merger with the Steelers, who switched to the AFC, and the Broncos having the first black quarterbacks. This talent influx from the HBCUs also showed up in the 70’s with how the AFC dominated the 70’s.
Mike's my boy! Never disappoints!
My uncle played for the Browns in the old AAFC in the late 40s
AAFC challenged the NFL and while not as successful as the AFL still managed to get 3 of its teams into the NFL. The Cleveland Browns, San Fransisco 49ers and the Original Baltimore Colts (the one that failed in 1950).
Positive, the AFL Play More Players from HBCU From the SWAC and MEAC.
Should talk about the Dallas Cowboys and how they dominated the fandom for so long. National TV contracts, cheerleaders, even the little arrows in the field were all Cowboys and made them so popular for markets lacking a team that NFL Films named them “America’s Team.”
Yes ,the names on back of the shirts was cool
8:18 on air before the first astronaut (Buzz Aldrin/Neil Armstrong) walked on the moon
I was 11 years old when the first super bowl was played. I'm pretty sure that it was already nicknamed 'Super Bowl' even though not officially named that. I remember my father thinking that 'Super Bowl' was a stupid name because all the other 'bowls' were college games, and probably because the AFL was considered lesser.
Also there was not all that much interest in it. I think to a lot of fans it was more of an exhibition game.
Another thing that the AFL introduced, if memory serves, was wild card playoff spots. I remember thinking it wasn't fair for a second place team to have a chance of winning the whole championship.