David Rosenthal

And there's so much more to the story, but that's the core of it.

That idea is what leads to what's the current annual national revenue for the NFL, like $10 billion, $11 billion?

So remember that initial landmark deal that they got the antitrust exemption from Congress for in 1961?

For the 1962 season, that was two years.

The AFL is locked up for five years.

The NFL gets to renegotiate every two years.

Roselle opens up the bidding to all three networks, of course.

CBS wins again.

Another two-year, $28.2 million bid.

$14.1 million per year, up from 4.6 two years earlier.

So every single team in the league now gets $1 million before the season even starts.

A cool 3X from the last deal he negotiated two years before.

Pretty freaking incredible.

And also just says so much about the commerce that the NFL was driving.

The TV networks were getting a great deal here.

These were landmark contracts, but the attention, the viewership that the games got, and then the advertising units that were sold, and then the ultimate products that were moved as a result of those ad units, this was a steal.

Well, it just takes time for people to realize the power of a new medium.

Okay, so Rozelle, unbelievable.

First five years in office.

Literally cannot imagine executing better.