NFL–AFL merger

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The NFL–AFL merger was the 1970 unification of the National Football League and the American Football League into a single league that created the modern NFL structure and led to the establishment of the Super Bowl as a championship game between the two conferences.

All labels observed (5)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (44)

Predicate Object
instanceOf National Football League history event
historical event
sports league merger
agreementDate 1966
category 1970 in American football
National Football League expansion and realignment
sports mergers in the United States
cause bidding war for college players between NFL and AFL
intense competition between NFL and AFL for players and fans
conferenceStructure American Football Conference vs National Football Conference
country United States of America
surface form: United States
effectiveDate 1970
governingBodyAfterMerger National Football League
impact created long‑term AFC–NFC conference rivalry
ended direct competition between rival major football leagues
solidified professional football as major American sport
includedProvision common draft of college players
full schedule integration by 1970
interleague championship game later known as the Super Bowl
two-conference league structure
league1 National Football League
league2 American Football League
ledTo Super Bowl becoming NFL championship game
end of separate AFL identity
expansion of NFL membership
increased national television contracts for professional football
standardization of rules between former NFL and AFL teams
partOf history of the American Football League
history of the National Football League
predecessorLeague American Football League
surface form: American Football League (1960–1969)

pre‑merger National Football League
relatedCompetition Super Bowl I
Super Bowl II
Super Bowl III
Super Bowl IV
result creation of American Football Conference
creation of National Football Conference
creation of a single unified National Football League
creation of modern NFL structure
establishment of the Super Bowl as championship game between conferences
realignment of NFL teams into two conferences
sport American football
successorLeague modern National Football League
televisionAspect helped consolidate national TV rights for professional football

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Referenced by (26)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

AFC foundedAsPartOf NFL–AFL merger
AFC playoffs createdBy NFL–AFL merger
NFC Championship establishedAsPartOf NFL–AFL merger
AFC West origin NFL–AFL merger
this entity surface form: AFL–NFL merger
Super Bowl III leagueContext NFL–AFL merger
this entity surface form: AFL–NFL merger era
NFC West createdBy NFL–AFL merger
National Football League expansion and realignment includesEvent NFL–AFL merger
this entity surface form: 1970 AFL–NFL merger realignment
AFL Championship Game preMergerCompetition NFL–AFL merger
this entity surface form: AFL–NFL merger
NFC playoffs createdBy NFL–AFL merger
East Division (AFL) dissolvedBy NFL–AFL merger
this entity surface form: AFL–NFL merger
Miami Dolphins–New York Jets rivalry beganAfter NFL–AFL merger
this entity surface form: AFL–NFL merger
AFC vs NFC origin NFL–AFL merger
AFC Central originatedFrom NFL–AFL merger
Denver Broncos–Las Vegas Raiders rivalry continuedAfter NFL–AFL merger
this entity surface form: AFL–NFL merger
Kansas City Chiefs–Los Angeles Chargers rivalry continuedAfterMerger NFL–AFL merger
this entity surface form: AFL–NFL merger
Las Vegas Raiders–Los Angeles Chargers rivalry relatedTo NFL–AFL merger
this entity surface form: AFL–NFL merger
American Football League Championship Game relatedTo NFL–AFL merger
this entity surface form: AFL–NFL merger
AFL–NFL World Championship Game of All-Stars relatedTo NFL–AFL merger
this entity surface form: AFL–NFL merger
NYJ joinedNFLBy NFL–AFL merger
this entity surface form: AFL–NFL merger
Century Division dissolvedBy NFL–AFL merger
this entity surface form: AFL–NFL merger
New York Giants and Washington Commanders divisionMembershipSince NFL–AFL merger
subject surface form: Washington Commanders
this entity surface form: 1970 NFL-AFL merger
1970 NFL season mergerImplemented NFL–AFL merger
this entity surface form: AFL–NFL merger
American Football League Western Division dissolvedAsResultOf NFL–AFL merger
this entity surface form: AFL–NFL merger
Texas Earnest workedOn NFL–AFL merger
subject surface form: Tex Schramm
AFL Coach of the Year endCause NFL–AFL merger
this entity surface form: AFL–NFL merger