May 23, 1962 - The NFL increased the salary of its commissioner, Pete Rozelle, by $10,000 to $60,000 a year today. Rozelle was awarded a new five-year contract plus a $10,000 bonus at a meeting of league officials at New York’s Plaza Hotel. The action followed a report by Rozelle that average sales throughout the league were up 10%. “There is every reason to believe we will have our first year of four million paid attendance,” said Rozelle. The biggest boost in advance sales was reported by the Philadelphia Eagles, who expect about 40,000 compared to 19,000 last year. The Green Bay Packers reported sales running 195% ahead of last year; the Dallas Cowboys said they were 51% ahead, and the Minnesota Vikings said they sold 12,000 tickets in 16 days, compared to 26,000 in 16 months last year.
