Feb. 9, 1964 - Commissioner Joe Foss (pictured center in 1960) of the American Football League predicted flatly today that a professional football world series game will be played with the rival National Football League in 1966. Foss said the recently signed $36 million five-year television contract with NBC established the AFL as a major league and could provide the basis for its expansion to 10 or more teams.
In a television interview with Sen. Kenneth Keating (R-NY), Foss said the eight AFL teams will receive almost as much from their television contract as 14 NFL teams will receive from their $28.2 million three-year contract. And, he said, the NFL had a 40-year head start.
“How would your teams stack up against the National League?” Keating asked him. “Well,” Foss replied, “I wouldn’t worry about my boys out there on the field. I wouldn’t have to apologize. There is only one way to find out, and that is to play.”
“Do you think we’re going to get that shortly?” Keating asked. “That will come about, Senator, very soon,” Foss said. “We’ll have an AFL-NFL world series in two years.”
