▁the ▁br ink ▁of ▁failure ; ▁the ▁NFL ' s ▁associations ▁with ▁N BC ▁( as ▁well ▁as ▁with ▁CBS ) ▁proved ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁boost ▁to ▁the ▁league ' s ▁popular ity . ▁▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁the ▁Du Mont ▁Television ▁Network , ▁the ▁NFL ' s ▁primary ▁television ▁partner , ▁ended ▁network ▁operations ▁after ▁years ▁of ▁decl ine . ▁Du Mont ▁had ▁already ▁sold ▁the ▁rights ▁to ▁the ▁NFL ▁Championship ▁to ▁N BC ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁and ▁when ▁Du Mont ▁ended ▁its ▁regular ▁season ▁coverage , ▁CBS ▁acquired ▁the ▁rights . ▁ ▁CBS ' ▁coverage ▁began ▁on ▁September ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁( the ▁first ▁regular ▁season ▁broadcast ▁was ▁a ▁game ▁between ▁the ▁visit ing ▁Washington ▁Red sk ins ▁against ▁the ▁Pitts burgh ▁Ste el ers ), ▁before ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁A FL – N FL ▁mer ger . ▁Prior ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁CBS ▁had ▁an ▁assigned ▁crew ▁for ▁each ▁NFL ▁team . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁CBS ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁network ▁to ▁broadcast ▁some ▁NFL ▁regular ▁season ▁games ▁to ▁selected ▁television ▁mark ets ▁across ▁the ▁country . ▁From ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁until ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁season , ▁when ▁Fox ▁won ▁the ▁broadcast ▁television ▁contract ▁to ▁that ▁particular ▁conference , ▁CBS ▁a ired ▁NFL ▁games ▁from ▁the ▁National ▁Football ▁Conference . ▁Since ▁ 1 9 7 5 ,