On June 8, 1966, the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL) announced a merger, effectively uniting the two leagues under one umbrella to be fully implemented by the 1970 season. This merger ended a six-year rivalry between the two leagues, leading to the creation of the Super Bowl, a championship game that would determine the world champion of American football. The merger significantly altered the landscape of American professional sports by stabilizing team ownership, standardizing player contracts, and expanding the sport’s audience.
