▁ 1 9 5 0 s . ▁The ▁National ▁Football ▁League ▁( N FL )' s ▁em brace ▁of ▁television ▁broadcast ing ▁at ▁the ▁early ▁on set ▁of ▁the ▁medium ▁helped ▁boost ▁its ▁popular ity ▁as ▁a ▁sport , ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁the ▁combined ▁success ▁of ▁NFL ▁and ▁American ▁Football ▁League ▁( AF L ) ▁tele cast s ▁helped ▁ear n ▁professional ▁football ▁a ▁status ▁as ▁a ▁main st ay ▁of ▁the ▁major ▁television ▁networks . ▁American ▁television ▁pays ▁the ▁NFL ▁bill ions ▁of ▁dollars ▁each ▁year ▁to ▁maintain ▁their ▁television ▁rights ; ▁the ▁Super ▁Bowl , ▁in ▁return , ▁is ▁a ▁c ash ▁wind fall ▁for ▁the ▁network ▁which ▁air s ▁it ▁as ▁the ▁broad c aster ▁which ▁holds ▁the ▁rights ▁in ▁a ▁given ▁year ▁( which ▁is ▁rot ated ▁ann ually ▁among ▁the ▁broadcast ▁networks ▁that ▁hold ▁rights ▁to ▁the ▁league ' s ▁regular ▁season ▁and ▁play off ▁games ) ▁can ▁make ▁hundreds ▁of ▁millions ▁of ▁dollars ▁in ▁re venue ▁from ▁advert ising ▁sales ▁alone . ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball ▁( ML B ) ▁has ▁been ▁tele vised ▁on ▁U . S . ▁television ▁since ▁the ▁in ception ▁of ▁the ▁medium , ▁most ▁not ably ▁by ▁way ▁of ▁a ▁" Game ▁of ▁the ▁Week " ▁that ▁has ▁usually ▁a ired ▁on ▁S atur days ▁on ▁various ▁broad c aster s ▁since ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁National ▁Hockey ▁League ▁( N HL ), ▁in ▁contrast , ▁was ▁much ▁slower ▁to ▁em brace