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• The growth of the popularity of the National Football League can be directly correlated to its partnership with television. CBS became the first network to gain exclusivity rights to broadcast league games in 1956, and the NFL on CBS was a fixture on the network for nearly four decades. Today, the NFL on CBS is the broadcast home for primarily AFC games, as well the coverage for the AFC Playoffs. CBS also rotates with FOX and NBC as the network coverage provider for the Super Bowl. In February of 2010, CBS will host Super Bowl XLIV.

• Fast Facts

  1. First NFL broadcast: 1956
  2. Continuous NFL partner since 1998
  3. Headquarters: New York City
  4. Theme: The Posthumus Zone

• You Are Looking Live

  CBS would cover the NFL through the 1960s, and when the league merged with the upstart American Football League, they would share broadcast rights with NBC. Specifically, CBS covered the NFC games and playoffs, and alternated on hosting Super Bowls with NBC. Also during this time, they launched the innovative pre-game show known as The NFL Today. The host was Brent Musburger, and he was joined in studio by former player Irv Cross, former Miss America Phyllis George, who handled feature interview pieces, and Jimmy Snyder, nicknamed "Jimmy The Greek", who provided game prognostications.

• End of a 38-year partnership

  In 1993, CBS figured it would have little competition for renewing their broadcast rights. But FOX severely outbid CBS, and took the rights away, thus leaving CBS out of the broadcasting package for five years.

• Back in the game

  Then in 1998, CBS outbid NBC for the AFC broadcast rights and resumed their relationship with the league. Currently, The NFL Today is hosted by James Brown, and he's joined on-set by four analysts: Dan Marino, Bill Cowher, Shannon Sharpe, and Boomer Esiason. The lead play-by-play broadcaster is Jim Nantz, and he is joined by lead analyst Phil Simms.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  National Football League | NFL Network | NFL on FOX | Sunday Night Football | Monday Night Football | Super BowlCBS | CBS Sports

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