Short answers, pulled from the story.
Judge Allan Kuhn Grim ruled that antitrust laws applied to radio and television broadcasts of professional football. He rejected the National Football League's argument for an exemption similar to baseball and declared their blackout policy violated the Sherman Antitrust Act.
President John F. Kennedy signed the Sports Broadcasting Act into law on the 30th of September 1961. This legislation amended existing antitrust statutes to allow professional sports leagues to bundle broadcast rights together.
The law withdraws antitrust immunity if a high school or college game occurs within 75 miles of a station during Friday nights after 6:00 p.m. or Saturdays between the second Friday in September and the second Saturday in December. These provisions ensure local communities can still enjoy high school and college football without being overshadowed by televised pro games.
The American Football League began play in 1960 with a groundbreaking deal involving ABC because its agreement allowed all teams to pool their broadcasting rights and share revenue equally among member clubs. It was the first cooperative TV plan ever created for professional football and forced the established league to seek new legal protections.
Specific time restrictions prohibit professional games from occurring within 75 miles of a station during Friday nights after 6:00 p.m. or Saturdays between the second Friday in September and the second Saturday in December when amateur contests are happening nearby. The league extended its season to allow limited Friday night or Saturday games after the second Saturday in December starting in 1978.