X’s and O’s: Quarterbacking the AFL-NFL Merger

What Pete Rozelle, the commissioner of the National Football League (NFL), desperately needed in 1966 was an impartial outsider to help broker a pro-football merger with the upstart American Football League (AFL). He found exactly the team he needed after a phone call to Booz Allen.

The long-simmering rivalry between America’s two pro football leagues was escalating from a chippy competition into a scorched-earth war of attrition. The two leagues were poaching each other’s players and holding secret drafts to woo high-profile college All-Americans. At stake? The lucrative TV rights to televise football games, which skyrocketed after every round of contract negotiations.

Concerned that this interleague feud would inflict irreparable damage on the game itself, Pete phoned Jim Farley, then CEO of Booz Allen, in 1966 for guidance.

At that moment, level-headed owners from both leagues were trying to iron out a merger proposal. Back-channel communications were opening up. A compromise seemed possible.

What the peacemakers needed was a trustworthy referee—like Booz Allen—that could counsel them on antitrust hurdles, mediate disputes, and bring an outside perspective to the talks. Jim hung up the phone and drove across Manhattan to the NFL’s offices, and within 24 hours, Booz Allen and Pete’s office agreed to tackle the problem together.

Why did Pete turn to Booz Allen? Because we’d foreseen, almost two decades earlier, how television would alter the world. In 1949, we conducted one of the earliest and most comprehensive studies of the medium.

Our report yielded two key findings: First, TV’s reach was likely to grow as quickly as that of the telephone, and second, finding and retaining TV-friendly talent would be critical to success. Those networks willing to move quickly into the television space and pay top dollar for engaging personalities were likely to rule the airwaves.

The migration of movie stars to the small screen in the 1950s and the Kennedy-Nixon TV debates validated our thesis. By the mid-1960s, TV had transformed entertainment, news, and politics. Now it was poised to do the same for athletics.

The NFL, an established brand, was rich in tradition and prestige. The AFL appealed to younger fans with pass-heavy offenses and charismatic personalities, including “Broadway” Joe Namath. The obvious conclusion? Stop competing for lucrative TV revenues—and start sharing them.

By offering broadcasters a product that combined the best of both leagues, owners could secure larger TV contracts, reach new markets, and expand their fan bases.

Jim gathered meticulous data and pain points from stakeholders. He spoke to coaches, owners, and executives from both leagues, often tracking them down where they worked and vacationed. When Jim flew to Hawaii to interview Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi, the duo swapped leadership lessons and operational planning tips while strolling on a beach.

Our work helped transform the game of football. In the fall of 1966, Congress formally approved the AFL-NFL merger, clearing the new league of any antitrust violations. The following year saw the debut of the Super Bowl, as well as an $8 million contract with ABC to air Monday Night Football games. Over time, the NFL went on to eclipse baseball as the most-watched sport in the United States.

As in the 1960s, we continue to anticipate the possibilities of emerging technologies to see where the ball is heading. That’s how we deliver game-changing results for our clients.