"Barnstorming" Tours In The Middle 1920s Helped Pro Football Gain
Much-Needed Notoriety


It’s hard to imagine based on today’s big business National Football League that the humble beginnings of organized professional football relied on a gimmick to attract public interest in the game. That attention-grabbing device was known as “barnstorming” or “touring” and it involved some of the best gridders to grace football fields across the United States.

Make no mistake—a drive to win a championship was not the overriding factor in setting up these promotions. Shoestring club budgets and the overwhelming need for notoriety were the main reasons for organized football tours.