Key Takeaways

• By 1963, the AFL used five to six cameras for game broadcasts while the NFL was often stuck with just three.
• ABC producer Roone Arledge led this push, stating TV should “take the fan to the game.”
• The AFL invented the “walking creeper” camera, end zone cameras, and unique close-ups.
• This new TV technology helped teams like the Raiders build a massive national fan base.

Before the AFL changed pro football, the NFL had a problem. They did not care much about television.

In the early 1960s, the NFL actually feared TV. They thought broadcasting games would hurt stadium ticket sales. Because of this, they used strict blackout rules. They did not try to make the game look good for fans at home. They only wanted to protect their gate money.

The AFL took a different path. They saw television as their best chance to survive. They did not have NFL-level money, so they used TV to recruit new fans.

By 1963, the AFL used five or six cameras for their top games. Meanwhile, the NFL on CBS was stuck using just three. This change came from ABC producer Roone Arledge. In 1960, he wrote a famous memo. He said TV should not just show the game. It should take the fan to the game.

The real breakthrough was mobility. The AFL introduced the “walking creeper”—a camera carried on a cameraman’s shoulder along the sidelines. They also added end zone cameras. They put cameras high up in the stadium rafters. They added shotgun mics to hear the hits. They showed close-ups of players and fans. The NFL had never thought to do this.

This changed sports broadcasting forever. It also changed everything for the Raiders.

Before the AFL changed TV, the Oakland Raiders were just a struggling team. Nobody on the East Coast knew who they were. They won only nine games in their first three seasons and were almost bankrupt. Then, Al Davis arrived in 1963.

Davis was a master at building a brand. He famously picked the Silver and Black colors because they looked great on black-and-white and early color TVs. He knew the Raiders needed to stand out on the screen.

The AFL signed a massive TV deal with ABC. This meant all their games played nationwide. Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Flores once said he was more famous in New York City than in Oakland during those early years. That was not a joke. TV brought the Raiders to the entire country.

Because of this ABC deal, the Raiders became must-watch TV. Fans everywhere fell in love with their flashy style and iconic colors. The Raider Nation grew far beyond the Bay Area.

Eventually, the NFL had to catch up. But the AFL’s early push into TV helped force the merger between the two leagues. Teams like the Raiders, Chiefs, and Jets became famous names because of those early broadcasts.

Today, we expect to see every angle and hear every hit from our living rooms. But in the 1960s, it was brand new. And the Raiders were right there at the front of the line.

Captain’s Log: Unlocked