So far as we can tell, as of 2010 really the only game in town is the National Football League and college football. Hard to believe, but until the TV era began in the 1950s, professional football was considered a joke and most football fans followed college football (see the film “Leathernecks”). The most successful competitor to the NFL was the American Football League, which merged into the NFL to become what we now know of as the AFC; the Steelers, Browns and Colts switched over on the merger in 1970, which is how the Colts and Jets could have played each other in the 1969 Super Bowl. But hey, just last January they did the next best thing to a rematch, the AFC Championship Game. I wonder if Johnny Unitas and Joe Namath were watching.
Here are the other leagues which competed with the NFL since its formation in the 1920s.
All-America Football Conference. This lasted from 1946-49. It was “eaten” by the NFL in 1949 and two of its teams, the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers, became NFL teams (the Browns transferring to the AFC in 1970). Somewhat confusingly, the AAFC had a Baltimore Colts, which was also absorbed by NFL, only to collapse the following season. Then in 1953 Baltimore resurrected the team name for a new Colts team, the one we know of now as the Indianapolis Colts.
World League. Not to be confused with NFL Europe (see below), this began in 1974 and died the following ’75 season. What passed for “world” was Hawaii. Teams born, died, and moved around mid-season. This was too long ago for me to remember firsthand.
USFL. This only had three seasons: 1983, 1984, and 1985, then it died. I was in Paris at the time, so I was vaguely aware of it. The teams: Arizona Outlaws/Wranglers; Birmingham Stallions; Boston/New Orleans/Portland Breakers (different city each season); Chicago Blitz; Denver Gold; Houston Gamblers; Jacksonville Bulls; Los Angeles Express; Memphis Showboats; Michigan Panthers; New Jersey Generals; Oakland Invaders; Oklahoma Outlaws; Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars; Pittsburgh Maulers; San Antonio Gunslingers; Tampa Bay Bandits; Washington Federals/Orlando Renegades. Donald Trump was heavily involved in this league. The league filed an anti-trust action against the NFL, and won: $1, tripled to $3 under the anti-trust rules. USFL game footage is often shown on TV and in commercials as “generic football” as the USFL is no longer in existence to demand payment. Some USFL rules which the NFL eventually adopted: 2 point conversions, salary caps, and instant replay. Herschel Walker was by far the most famous USFL player; Reggie White, Jim Kelly, and Steve Young also started out in the USFL.
NFL Europe. The NFL made a heroic attempt to inject American football in the midst of soccer’s homeland, particularly Germany. Teams: Frankfurt Galaxy, London Monarchs, Scottish Claymores, Barcelona Dragons, Amsterdam Admirals, Rhein Fire, Berlin Thunder, Hamburg Sea Devils, Cologne Centurions. This lasted from 1991 to 2007; I saw a few games on TV, but they seemed to be playing in empty soccer stadiums. I knew it couldn’t last. I suppose “my team” was the Frankfurt Galaxy, with the best colors and coolest mascot.
Canadian League. Now with 8 teams in two divisions, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Montreal Alouettes (Owls), Toronto Argonauts (of which John Candy was a part owner), Winnipeg Blue Bombers, BC Lions, Calgary Stampeders, Edmonton Eskimos, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Their “Super Bowl” is the Grey Cup. Since the game is very similar to American football, there is considerable cross-pollination between CFL and NFL. From 1993-95, there were some US teams in the CFL, but that experiment failed. The most famous ex-CFL NFL players are Joe Theismann, Warren Moon, and Doug Flutie.
XFL. Folded after one season: 2001, started by Vince McMahon of WWF/WWE fame. The eight teams were the Orlando Rage, the Chicago Enforcers, the NY/NJ Hitmen, the Birmingham Thunderbolts, the L.A. Xtreme, the SF Demons, the Memphis Maniax, and the Las Vegas Outlaws. Everyone seemed to see the XFL is somewhat of a joke.
UFL. Yet another league, this only has 5 teams for now: the Florida Tuskers, the Hartford Colonials, the Las Vegas Locomotives, The Sacramento Mountain Lions, and the Omaha Nighthawks. I don’t know how you can survive with only 5 teams. The Florida Tuskers won the first (2009) season.
Arena League. All indoors, 50 yard playing field, almost the entire field is field goal range. I hear Kurt Warner will be an announcer. This has gone on from 1987 to 2009, at which point they are reorganizing and going back into business. Teams: Alabama Vipers, Arizona Rattlers, Bossier/Shreveport Battlewings, Chicago Rush, Cleveland Gladiators, Dallas Vigilantes, Iowa (!) Barnstormers, Jacksonville Sharks, Milwaukee Iron, Oklahoma City Yard Dogs, Orlando Predators, Spokane Shock, Tampa Bay Storm, Tulsa Talons, and the Utah Blaze.
American Football League (AFL). I saved this for last, as it’s the one which is still in existence, better known as the AFC of the NFL. It started in 1960 and merged with the NFL in 1969. And the Super Bowl began as a championship between the NFL champion and the AFL champion, so we have the AFL to thank for that. Fortunately for the AFL, several factors worked in its favor. First, NBC paid $36 million (a huge sum today, and even larger in 1960) to televise its games. This money meant the league was solvent and could consistently play full seasons without confusion or interruption. This also meant the league could pay salaries competitive with the NFL and lure away key players. Second, and this is linked to #1, the standard of play was comparable to the NFL, with some tweaks thrown in. Third, although the NFL had been around since the 1920s, it was only with the advent of televised games in the late 50s that it gained any traction, respectability or notoriety – so it was by no means conclusively established as the dominant league when the AFL showed up in 1960.
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