best way to get old NFL games

[falconfan58]

The year 1966 the team the Falcons.I've read that for a long time,stations didn't keep the games,for whatever reason(space,I guess)Anybody know where I can get copies?The whole game,not just highlights.
Thanks

[MatthewToy]

They probably taped over them because tape was super expensive back then.

[BD Sullivan]

The year 1966 the team the Falcons.I've read that for a long time,stations didn't keep the games,for whatever reason(space,I guess)Anybody know where I can get copies?The whole game,not just highlights.
Thanks

Each tape, which I believe could only cover 1-2 hours of programming, cost the 2016 equivalent of about $100 apiece. If the networks or collectors had ANY games from 1966, they would have likely surfaced by now. I don't imagine saving games of a 3-11 expansion team would have high on their agenda.

[TanksAndSpartans]

I asked a similar question once - I think there's footage in NFL Films vault, but the combination of it not being broadcast quality, lack of it making business sense to sell, etc. may mean it doesn't come to light. I recently finished "Gridiron Gumshoe" and there was one part where the author talked about the confiscation of a huge private collection that had games from the 60s.

[Steviek]

Yeah I wouldn't waste your time. Those 1966 games have surely been gone for decades - most likely taped over soon after being recorded. There are lots of Falcons games beginning in 1977 that are around. I believe the 1973 MNF game against Minnesota may also have survived but I'm not positive.

[Rupert Patrick]

Yeah I wouldn't waste your time. Those 1966 games have surely been gone for decades - most likely taped over soon after being recorded. There are lots of Falcons games beginning in 1977 that are around. I believe the 1973 MNF game against Minnesota may also have survived but I'm not positive.

I would think if there was a Vikings MNF game from 1973 that ABC had in their archives, somebody would have already leaked it thru the grapevine to the trading public. I've never heard of that game being available.

Somebody was once telling me that there are a couple collectors out there who have very unusual sports video collections, in that they only want the only available copy of a particular event. For example, they would pay top dollar (and whomever these people are, they must be very wealthy) to somebody at the network to get the master copy of an NFL game from the early 70's, and then they don't tell anybody they have it, they won't trade it with anybody, they keep it all to themselves. It's like owning the Mona Lisa and keeping it hidden in your basement and not telling anybody about it. Apparently these collectors may own a bunch of early 70's NFL playoff game broadcasts that nobody else knows exist. This could be an urban legend, but it is something I have heard a while back.

[BD Sullivan]

Yeah I wouldn't waste your time. Those 1966 games have surely been gone for decades - most likely taped over soon after being recorded. There are lots of Falcons games beginning in 1977 that are around. I believe the 1973 MNF game against Minnesota may also have survived but I'm not positive.

I would think if there was a Vikings MNF game from 1973 that ABC had in their archives, somebody would have already leaked it thru the grapevine to the trading public. I've never heard of that game being available.

I've seen clips of it, but have no idea exactly how much of the game actually exists.

[Steviek]

Yeah I wouldn't waste your time. Those 1966 games have surely been gone for decades - most likely taped over soon after being recorded. There are lots of Falcons games beginning in 1977 that are around. I believe the 1973 MNF game against Minnesota may also have survived but I'm not positive.

I would think if there was a Vikings MNF game from 1973 that ABC had in their archives, somebody would have already leaked it thru the grapevine to the trading public. I've never heard of that game being available.

Rumor is that it's survived. Your guess is as good as mine if it ever sees the light of day.

[Jay Z]

That's NFL films, not a network broadcast. For 1966 only, NFL films did a 30 minute show of nearly every NFL game.

Actual network footage is much more spotty for anything before 1977. I'm guessing 1977 was the first year there were enough home VCRs to make widespread taping possible.

[BD Sullivan]

Actual network footage is much more spotty for anything before 1977. I'm guessing 1977 was the first year there were enough home VCRs to make widespread taping possible.

I think home VCR's became available in 1975, though it took a year or two for it to drop to even remotely within the average Joe's price range.