The Laurel Langley Agreement Summary: What You Need to Know
The Laurel Langley Agreement, also known as the Laurel-White Plan, was a landmark agreement signed in 1961 between the National Football League (NFL) and the American Football League (AFL). Its purpose was to bring about a merger between the two leagues, which had been competing for players and fans since the AFL`s inception in 1960.
The agreement was named after Laurel Langley, a lawyer who worked for the AFL, and Tex Schramm, the president of the NFL`s Dallas Cowboys. Langley and Schramm were key players in the negotiations that led to the agreement.
So what were the key provisions of the Laurel Langley Agreement? Here are the highlights:
1. The AFL and NFL would merge into a single league, with two conferences: the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC).
2. The two conferences would each have 13 teams, for a total of 26 teams.
3. The NFL and AFL would hold a common draft for new players, to ensure that teams from both conferences had a fair shot at the top talent.
4. The new league would be governed by a commissioner, who would have broad powers to regulate the sport and settle disputes between teams.
5. The AFL would dissolve on June 30, 1970, at which point all its teams would become part of the NFL.
The Laurel Langley Agreement was a watershed moment in the history of professional football in the United States. It led to the creation of the modern NFL, which today is the most popular sports league in the country.
The merger between the AFL and NFL also paved the way for the Super Bowl, which has become one of the biggest events in American sports. The first Super Bowl was played in 1967, just a few years after the Laurel Langley Agreement was signed.
In conclusion, the Laurel Langley Agreement was a significant moment in the history of professional football in the United States. Its provisions paved the way for the creation of the modern NFL and the Super Bowl, and it remains an important milestone in the sport`s development.