The League

by David Harris

Book Overview

FINE in Very Good jacket HARD COVER. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall. FINE IN DJ WTH WEAR, LIGHT CREASIGN AND TINY CLOSED TERS TO THE HEAD OF THE SPINE AND THE TOP EDGE OF THE REAR PANEL. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553265164
• ISBN13: 9780553265163
• Release Date: October 1987
• Publisher: Bantam
• Length: 673 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Interesting book on business side of Rozelle's NFL

I should start by repeating points made before that this is NOT a casual read, nor does it have anything to do with the game you see on the field. It's all about the business side of Pete Rozelle's NFL of the late 60's through the early 80s, and anyone reading it should be prepared for a lot of financial talk. Having said that, I've enjoyed this. As mentioned before, the profiles of Rozelle and the owners are excellent, although very few owners come off looking good as human beings. It's interesting to see how Rozelle steered a very diverse group of driven, egotisical men along the same course for so long until Al Davis upset the apple cart and opened the gate for franchise shifts by moving the Riaders to LA (although Carroll Rosenbloom deserves far more "credit" than he gets for moving the Rams out of LA to Anaheim). CR's widow, Georgia, comes off as equal parts manipulative and clueless. If you're looking for heroes, you won't find them here (although Rozelle was definitely impressive in a lot of ways). If you're looking for a concise, if sometimes dense, history of NFL business in a pivotal part of the modern era, this is it...just don't expect to speed-read it in a day. It IS worth the effort.

An NFL Junkie's Delight

Only here will you get the behind the scenes look at the NFL's "Glory Years" throughout the 60s, 70s, and into the Early 80s. David Harris must have done a ton of research and let me tell you, it is all here. The detail is often mind numbing - which might drive away the casual fan (hence the 4 star rating instead of 5).Still, if you consider yourself a true NFL fan and have always been fascinated by the behind the scenes machinations of the powerful clique of franchise owners, take a look at this book. I have yet to see a book on the NFL as comprehensive as this one.

An in-depth business history of the NFL from the 1950s-80s.

With its latest expansion franchise selling for over $500,000, there is no question that the NFL is the predominate sports league in America. "The League: The Rise and Decline of the NFL" helps to tell the story of how it became so. It provides a great look at the pivotal period in the development of the NFL: from the ascension of Pete Rozelle as commissioner in 1960 to the franchise moves of the 1980s. Not a book for "students of the game" looking for points of view of players and coaches, "The League" focuses more on the business end of football. It is excellent reading for any fan who wishes to know the "inside story" of how and why the NFL became the big business that it is today. The book does this by providing a thorough history of the league's relationship with television, its monopoly status, and the beginnings of "franchise free agency". Harris's intensive research and use of personal interviews also provides a unique "behind closed doors" glimpse into the world of football team owners and executives.

The Best Book On The NFL

Well researched and written by former draft-dodger David Harris, this now dated book remains the best book written about the NFL.