The League: How Five Rivals Created the NFL and Launched a Sports Empire

Tells the story of how the National Football League (NFL) was formed and how it progressed from an unpopular sport to America's game. Cast of characters include the original five principals (Halas, Mara, Bell, Rooney and Marshall.

Compelling read on the history of football. I appreciate the detail on the lives and motivation of these early leaders as they helped to create what we enjoy today. They were imperfect, as us the modern product, but I had feelings as the author described their inevitable demise. They believed in their product, sometimes against all odds

This book is for you if you like history and the National Football League! In this book, Bert Bell, the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, George Preston Marshall, the owner of the Washington Redskins (now the Washington Football Team), and George Halas, the owner of the Chicago Bears, are just a few of the five persons mentioned. Tim Mara and Art Rooney are the owners of the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers, respectively. The success of the NFL today can be attributed primarily to these five people.

Enjoyable read. Goes through the founding fathers of the NFL, notably George Halas, and how they built a struggling, losing enterprise into one of America’s best and most profitable inventions. Early on, pro football took back seat to college, had little to no credibility, and owners lost money year after year. Innovations like the draft, radio and television deals, responding to challenges from rival leagues (and sports - namely baseball), overcoming segregation and so forth; the NFL has a very colorful past most of us weren’t aware of.

A comprehensive look at the history of professional football. If you like the game as it is today, you'll be surprised to learn of the struggles for survival the founders had trying to get the league off the ground. And they’d be surprised to see where the league is now with cable, streaming, merchandise and massive crowds. To say nothing of the massive salaries being paid to the stars of the game now.

I enjoy pro football and found this book very informative and an enjoyable read. How the league was formed basically by 5 men, how these men often put the league above their team winning, how it survived through World War II, and understood that parity in the league was very important and created the draft in support thereof. Lots of information and well written.

I generally love reading about the roots of all things. This one is repetetive, a real slog. The subject matter, the main characters, could be fascinating in the right hands. This book feels rushed. Written in bursts, then theown together.

This was a good read, showcasing the development of the early days of the NFL and how close run of a thing it was. The book was engaging enough that I kept wanting to read further, and it really highlighted the personalities and workings of the sport's founding fathers. If I had any complaint, it was that the book seemed somewhat anti-climatic in that it tends to leave off at a date when the characters featured in the book begin to leave the forefront. As well as the book detailed its scope, I was hoping it would have covered the emergence of the AFL leading up to the merger, which would have been compelling.

Arrived quickly & in great condition Not read as is a gift

Loved reading the history behind the NFL and these few owners who made it all happen. Didn't put it down after it was delivered until I finished reading it.

Leuk, interessant boek voor de liefhebber van American Foorball

Amazing book on the NFL origins. The chronology and explanation of events leading to the creation of the NFL is written in such a way I didn't want to put down the book. You really get a feel for the main guys involved and feel like you met them after this read. Although I bought this used, the condition was incredible.

I bought this for my husband and he really enjoyed it. It was a great book if your interested in how the leagues came about.