Prior to the 1960s, the most popular version
of American football was played collegiately. The NFL's greatest
spurt in popularity came in the 1960s and 1970s, after the
challenge to its supremacy by the rival American Football
League (AFL, 1960-1969). Scoreboard clocks with official time;
national network television coverage; the two-point conversion;
sharing of gate and television revenue between home teams
and visitors; and ultimately the sport's championship game,
the Super Bowl, all came about as a result of the AFL's influence.
The NFL's current makeup and geographic expanse, as well as
its style of play, rules, media coverage, playoffs and championship
games, were enhanced by its merger with the American Football
League, effective with the 1970 season.
In recent decades, the NFL traditionally
started the regular season on Labor Day Weekend and lasted
through Christmas week. However, declining television ratings
on Labor Day have pushed the start of the regular season ahead
one week (which is where scheduling currently stands), although
for the past two years, the regular season has begun on the
Thursday after Labor Day.
At the end of each season, the winners of
the playoffs in the American Football Conference and the National
Football Conference meet in the NFL championship, the Super
Bowl, generally held at a pre-selected netural site. One week
later, selected all-star players from both the AFC and NFC
meet in the Pro Bowl, currently held in Hawaii.
