subject: The History Of The Super Bowl [print this page] In 1920 professional football startedIn 1920 professional football started. With the American Professional Football Association or APFA which became the NFL or National Football League in 1922. At first they had little or no competition but gradually the competition became worse. The American Football League or AFL was their greatest competitor. The two leagues would constantly steal players from each other even when they were still under contract. They realized that this would only lead to their financial ruin and that they would end up losing out this way and they therefore decided to merge. In 1960 the process was started however it took until 1970 for it to be completed. In the meantime they decided to have a world championship game between the two leagues every year. The game would be called AFL-NFL World Championship Game. The first three games were played this way. Lamar Hunt the owner of Kansas City Chiefs disliked the name and changed it to Super Bowl. He took the name from a toy that his children used to enjoy very much the Wham-O Super Bowl. The name has stuck ever since and is still known like that until today.
The first three games were played between the NFL and AFL teams. The first game was played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on January 15 1967 and was won by the Green Bay Packers from the NFL in 1967. 62,000 fans were there cheering on the teams. The next one was won by the New York Jets from the AFL in 1968. In 1969 the Kansas City Chiefs won in Super Bowl IV. During the 1970 season the teams were reorganized. Three NFL teams went over to the AFL and they formed the American Football Conference or the AFC. The rest of the teams formed the NFC or the National Football Conference. There is a fourteen game regular season each year and then come the playoffs between the teams that excelled. Every year the best time from both leagues play against each other in a championship game called the Super Bowl.
The coach of the Green Bay Packers that won the first Super Bowl was Vince Lombardi. He died in 1970 when the merge between the NFL and AFL was finalized. In order to honor him the Vince Lombardi Trophy is given every year to the team that wins the Super Bowl.
The Super Bowl is an extremely popular event that is watched by millions around the world. The most expensive commercial airtime is when the game is being played. Every year popular celebrities and singers perform before the game and during half time. The day that the game is played is called Super Bowl Sunday and considered a holiday for sports lovers around the world. Football fans around the world and specifically in the United States look forward to this day all year.
