American Football League-National Football League

Abstract

From the 1953 to 1959 seasons, the same six teams played in the Eastern Conference (EC) and another six in the Western Conference (WC) of the National Football League (NFL). Because of financial problems and lack of competitive balance among them in each conference, the league did not expand in size during this period or otherwise approve the entry of new teams in such sports markets, for example, as Houston, Texas or Miami, Florida. Although some ambitious, prominent, and wealthy individuals and business organizations sought to bid for, purchase, and locate new professional football franchises at sites in various cities of metropolitan areas within the United States (US) and finance their operations, NFL officials rejected all applications.