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

If you want to learn about the early NFL, this is the book for you! Well written.

A fascinating history of how the NFL became the league that it is today. John Eisenberg is one of America’s great sports storytellers!

Interesting

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.

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.

Nice history of the league…might be a bit sanitized. Curious the Art Rooney suddenly became a great handicapper and just as suddenly stopped…and Tim Mara was a huge bookie who couldn’t use inside dope to bet.

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

He disfrutado mucho de este libro que ofrece una visión pormenorizada de la creación de la liga deportiva más poderosa del mundo. Te explica cómo se creó el draft, cómo se modificaron las reglas para diferenciarse del College, cómo se fue creando una organización de hoy damos por sentada.

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.

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.