best way to get old NFL games

[TodMaher]

On the subject of annual individual team highlight films from the 1960's and 1970's, some college football teams were doing them as well. I know my own alma matter West Virginia produced an annual 25-minute highlight film starting sometime in the late 1960's whose quality was every bit as good as what NFL Films was doing in its team highlight films at the time. They even use Spence music. These films (narrated by the late great Jack Fleming) serve as a terrific, invaluable chronicle of the Bobby Bowden years. Does anyone know of any other college in that timeframe (late 1960's to early 1970's) that was creating annual highlight films of NFL-Films level quality?
The yearly Mountaineer highlight films kept being produced through the 80's and 90's until the end of the Don Nehlen era, after which time they seem to have been discontinued.

A lot of colleges are digitalizing their old game films.

An example:
http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/collections/calfootball/

[Reaser]

On the subject of annual individual team highlight films from the 1960's and 1970's, some college football teams were doing them as well. I know my own alma matter West Virginia produced an annual 25-minute highlight film starting sometime in the late 1960's whose quality was every bit as good as what NFL Films was doing in its team highlight films at the time. They even use Spence music. These films (narrated by the late great Jack Fleming) serve as a terrific, invaluable chronicle of the Bobby Bowden years. Does anyone know of any other college in that timeframe (late 1960's to early 1970's) that was creating annual highlight films of NFL-Films level quality?
The yearly Mountaineer highlight films kept being produced through the 80's and 90's until the end of the Don Nehlen era, after which time they seem to have been discontinued.

A lot of colleges are digitalizing their old game films.

An example:
http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/collections/calfootball/

In 2013 the Washington State University library started putting up historical football video on youtube. Large collection of games, 20's through 00's. Cool to hear Keith Jackson announcing some of the older games.

I have some of the Notre Dame NFL Films HL videos, they're very well done.

[Todd Pence]

When did NFL films start working with Notre Dame?

[Reaser]

When did NFL films start working with Notre Dame?

I just popped in what I have of Notre Dame in my office - other than games - and NFL Films did "Wake Up the Echoes" in 1982, it's a history of Notre Dame football. In 2012 they did "Onward Notre Dame, Sound Bend to Solider Field". The 1969 Notre Dame season HL's I have were produced by Tel-Ra.

Does anyone know of any other college in that timeframe (late 1960's to early 1970's) that was creating annual highlight films of NFL-Films level quality?

Conferences were doing conference HL films also in that timeframe. I have ones from the Pac-8 and SWC and a partial SEC one. Humble Oil and Refining company was the sponsor for all of them. The Big 8 had a HL film in 1967 and Nebraska had it's own HL videos in the late 60's/early 70's time frame you mentioned. I don't have it but I know Colorado has a 1969 HL film.

[Bryan]

NFL Films took over filming the AFL in '68 and they produced ONLY a weekly highlight show for the AFL (while the NFL got preferential treatment w/ their GOTWs).

I wish we could "special order" those '68 AFL weekly highlight shows (would love to see more of Marlin Briscoe at quarterback). It seems that very little has been added to the Special Order Catalog since Steve Sabol passed away in 2012.

Most of those 68 AFL shows are online.

Not anymore, which is kind of a shame since I've never seen them available. I'm not sure what NFL Films' motivation is on this topic...they've done nothing to actively sell these 1968 GOTW shows for profit, yet they don't want people viewing these shows for free. I understand that PFRA can't get involved in copyright issue stuff, but it would be disappointing if PFRA played a role in these shows getting taken down. It seems like the antithesis of a Pro Football Research initiative, like Emperor Jovian setting fire to the Library of Antioch.

[Ken Crippen]

Not anymore, which is kind of a shame since I've never seen them available. I'm not sure what NFL Films' motivation is on this topic...they've done nothing to actively sell these 1968 GOTW shows for profit, yet they don't want people viewing these shows for free. I understand that PFRA can't get involved in copyright issue stuff, but it would be disappointing if PFRA played a role in these shows getting taken down. It seems like the antithesis of a Pro Football Research initiative, like Emperor Jovian setting fire to the Library of Antioch.

As an organization, we play no role in them getting taken down. We just do not allow links to be posted.

[JeffreyMiller]

Not anymore, which is kind of a shame since I've never seen them available. I'm not sure what NFL Films' motivation is on this topic...they've done nothing to actively sell these 1968 GOTW shows for profit, yet they don't want people viewing these shows for free. I understand that PFRA can't get involved in copyright issue stuff, but it would be disappointing if PFRA played a role in these shows getting taken down. It seems like the antithesis of a Pro Football Research initiative, like Emperor Jovian setting fire to the Library of Antioch.

The PFRA has no interest in taking the films off Youtube, other than maintaining the spirit of good relations between the two entities. NFL Films is a business, and though they could sell the films for a profit, to actively pursue that revenue stream would also require an effort of man hours. For the number of films they could actually sell, it's doubtful that the profits would be great enough to warrant the effort. Really, how many people are willing to shell out 50 bucks for a video, or several videos?

[MatthewToy]

Most of those 68 AFL shows are online.[/quote]

Not anymore, which is kind of a shame since I've never seen them available. I'm not sure what NFL Films' motivation is on this topic...they've done nothing to actively sell these 1968 GOTW shows for profit, yet they don't want people viewing these shows for free. I understand that PFRA can't get involved in copyright issue stuff, but it would be disappointing if PFRA played a role in these shows getting taken down. It seems like the antithesis of a Pro Football Research initiative, like Emperor Jovian setting fire to the Library of Antioch.[/quote]
Me and my big mouth.

[Bryan]

The PFRA has no interest in taking the films off Youtube, other than maintaining the spirit of good relations between the two entities. NFL Films is a business, and though they could sell the films for a profit, to actively pursue that revenue stream would also require an effort of man hours. For the number of films they could actually sell, it's doubtful that the profits would be great enough to warrant the effort. Really, how many people are willing to shell out 50 bucks for a video, or several videos?

The $50 pricepoint is a bit too high, and that's entirely on NFL Films. Judging from Youtube, there is a large interest for these historic NFL Films pieces, and a customer base of 40-50 year old males seems like it would have disposable income. Its weird to me that NFL Films hasn't even attempted to capitalize on this interest, and its distressing to me that NFL Films' response to this interest is to basically quash interest. It reminds me of the Elias-Hirdt Sports Bureau trying to 'copyright' sports statistics...too "imperial" for my taste.

Many years ago I suggested that NFL Films make their library digital, charging a small fee ($5 instead of $50?)for a customer to download a video clip from the NFL Films digital 'vault' to their computer/tablet/phone. Not much effort involved other than the initial setup.

If PFRA's mission is to preserve professional football history, then perhaps making these NFL Films pieces available to the public would be a great way to fulfill that mission.

[Steviek]

This is a debate that reemerges every so often. The problem is that people who have a keen interest in viewing these videos overestimate the interest from the general public. It's miniscule and not very profitable. The NFL, as is its right, is smart enough to understand that their key marketing demographic are not us middle aged guys, who treasure the glory days of the past. They are after millennials who couldn't care less about anything before 2005.

The NFL would surely not care if the PFRA lobbied for something like this. With all due respect to the fine gentlemen who serve as officers of this organization, it would be a colossal waste of time dealing with the league. As far as I know, there is not a tremendous amount of direct interaction between the PFRA and the NFL and any of its affiliates or subsidiaries.