National Football League (NFL) | 599,727 followers on LinkedIn. The National Football League is America's most popular sports league, comprised of 32 franchises that compete each year to win the Super Bowl, the world's biggest annual sporting event. Founded in 1920, the NFL developed the model for the successful modern sports league, including national and international distribution, extensive revenue sharing, competitive excellence, and strong franchises across the board. The NFL is the industry leader on a wide range of fronts.