Originally named the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team joined the NFL in 1933 when owner Art Rooney Sr. paid a US$2,500 franchise fee to the league. However, the Steelers are the heirs to the first-ever pro-football team, as Pittsburgh hosted the world's first pro game in the 1880s. That early franchise, however, fell victim to the state's strict blue laws that, prior to 1933, prevented sporting events from taking place on Sundays when most NFL games were scheduled. The franchise was reformed and renamed the Steelers in 1940 based on the city's prominent position in the steel industry. A fan suggested the name in a contest held by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the team.