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The League: The Rise and Decline of the NFL Hardcover – September 1, 1986

by David Harris (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 16 ratings
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Based on three years of research, extensive interviews, and confidential NFL documents, an investigative report documents the little-known power struggles that have recently reorganized the internal structure and politics of the football business
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    710 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Bantam
  4. Publication date
    September 1, 1986
  5. ISBN-10
    0553051679
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0553051674
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In these 695 pages, Harris (Dreams Die Hard has written a powerful expose of the inner workings of pro football from 1960 to the present. In 1960, Pete Rozelle was elected commissioner and, instrumental in arranging for TV revenues to be split equally among all teams, became the sport's golden boy. But his function was to oversee the people who employed him, a formula sure to invite trouble, and, of course, trouble developed. Rozelle's apogee, according to Harris, came in 1978. After that, various owners began to chafe against the rule that they could not have financial interests in other sports; certain owners began pressuring their local communities to renovate or replace stadiums; union troubles burgeoned, with a player strike interrupting the 1982 season. Rival leagues were formed to challenge NFL supremacy. Finally, teams began to relocate, with the climax reached when Al Davis took the Oakland Raiders to Los Angeles, a transfer that Rozelle and the league opposed. "League Think" died and Rozelle's influence has sharply diminished. Harris has brought off a formidable undertaking. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Rather than an upbeat playing history of the National Football League, New York Times writer Harris gives a sober, heavily detailed study of the League's business, labor, and legal dealings. The early years of Commissioner Pete Rozelle's tenure saw unlimited success, particularly after the 1970 merger with the American Football League. Soon, however, the NFL and Rozelle were beset with strikes, lawsuits, unsanctioned franchise moves, and the new rival, the U.S. Football League. Crowning blows were declining TV audience and the all-out Rozelle-Al Davis war. Harris gives revealing, often scathing profiles of principal actors in this valuable addition to college and comprehensive public library sports collections. Morey Berger, Monmouth Cty. Lib., Freehold, N.J.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bantam (September 1, 1986)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 710 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0553051679
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0553051674
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.4 pounds
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 16 ratings

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
16 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Benotto
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2015
Verified Purchase
Insightful look into the inner workings of the NFL at the start of the modern era.
One person found this helpful
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joe gnadt
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2018
Verified Purchase
Excellent
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting book on business side of Rozelle's NFL
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2008
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.
10 people found this helpful
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Jeff Rendell
4.0 out of 5 stars An NFL Junkie's Delight
Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2000
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.
6 people found this helpful
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Bruce J. Richards
5.0 out of 5 stars An in-depth business history of the NFL from the 1950s-80s.
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 1999
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.
8 people found this helpful
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Diego Banducci
5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Book On The NFL
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 1999
Well researched and written by former draft-dodger David Harris, this now dated book remains the best book written about the NFL.
3 people found this helpful
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Matthew
3.0 out of 5 stars Limited in scope, but interesting enough
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 1999
Harris places far too much importance on the loyalty to individual cities, but his portrayals of the villians of the NFL (read: Al Davis, and the other owners) are certainly superb.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

bill f.
4.0 out of 5 stars A bit pricey and long, but a fun read
Reviewed in Canada on October 3, 2020
Verified Purchase
Hard to find book. Overly-detailed and long but an excellent insight into the formation and early days of the unified NFL. (Pete Rozelle was not paid enough for all the challenges he faced and partially overcame. And the L.A., 55 years on, still is a work in progress.) This period is the foundation of everything the league continues to do as a business.
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