AFL and NFL Pete Rozelle footballs for sale.

[cohibasmoker]

For Sale: A pair of vintage NFL and AFL footballs.

Wilson “The Duke” Thorp Sporting Goods football signed by George Halas & Dick Butkus and a Spalding American Football League (AFL) game football. Both footballs have Pete Rozelle as Commissioner. An awesome pair when displayed side by side.

Both footballs would rate at least an 8-9 in condition. $450.00 each or $900.00 for the pair. I’ll pay for postage if the Buyer lives in the US.

Please email for scans at flaa1a@comcast.net

[cohibasmoker]

Re: AFL and NFL Pete Rozelle footballs for sale.

Hi, The Duke Thorp football is no longer available.

The AFL football will be listed on eBay either Sunday night (6-11-06) on Monday night.

[ironmanfan]

Re: AFL and NFL Pete Rozelle footballs for sale.

Just out of curisoity but why would Pete Rozelle's name be shown as Commissioner of the American Football League? What was the last year of the AFL.....1969?

[cohibasmoker]

Re: AFL and NFL Pete Rozelle footballs for sale.

Pete Rozelle was the Commissioner of the NFL at the time of the merger. I would assume that the footballs were created in anticipation of the merger.

By the way, the AFL football is also spoken for.

The merger agreement

The intense rivarly led to serious merger talks between the two leagues. By June 8, 1966, they announced a merger agreement. Under the agreement:

• The two leagues would combine to form an expanded league with 24 teams, which would be increased to 26 teams by 1969, and to 28 teams by 1970 or soon thereafter.
• All existing teams would be retained, and none of them would be moved outside of their metropolitan areas.
• AFL "indemnities" would be paid to NFL teams which shared markets with AFL teams. Specifically, the New York Giants would receive payments from the New York Jets, and the San Francisco 49ers would get money from the Oakland Raiders.
• Both leagues would now hold a "common draft" of college players, effectively ending the bidding war between the 2 leagues over the top college prospects.
• While maintaining separate schedules through 1969, the leagues agreed to play an annual AFL-NFL World Championship Game, matching the championship teams of each league, beginning in January, 1967 (which would later be known as the Super Bowl).
• The two leagues would officially merge in 1970 to form one league with two conferences. The merged league would be known as the National Football League. The history and records of the AFL would be incorporated into the older league, but the newer league's name and logo would be retired.

[cohibasmoker]

Re: AFL and NFL Pete Rozelle footballs for sale.

There is a 1969 AFL football currently on eBay that was signed by the 1969 Kansa City Chiefs. The commissioner on the football is Pete Rozelle. The item number is 8814277737. The football on eBay is a three panel white football while the one I was offering was a game ball.