NFL laying off 150, possibly Steve Sabol of NFL Films

I don't follow the topic too much but, sure, why would you want to have redundant operations? NFL Films was an independent outfit at first but bought (quite cheaply) by the league in the mid-'60s. The advent of the network made it expendable. I imagine some employees will probably be absorbed into the network and some of the parts sold off.

 

Who the fuck shoots the films at NFL games now?

 

Crews on feature assignment from the network, I suppose. The league/network isn't going to leave itself without behind-the-scenes, feature and archival content from key games.

 

Film is the inly medium that can capture the super slo-mo, hi-res stuff that has helped make the NFL.

 

If they want to save money, they should cut Pacman Jones, Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson, for starters.

That will save a lot more than cutting dozens of PR staffers or NFL Network and NFL Films employees.

 

Nobody said they'll be doing without films, Simon. I don't see why they would but it still makes business sense to merge the outfits, eliminate redundancies and operative more cohesively. That doesn't mean that talented filmmakers won't be retained.

 

I hope not.

Stayed with a couple of those guys in New Orleans in 1997 (at a B&B on Prytania)... as gregarious as they are talented.

 

I'll say this.... I've been to the NFL Experience eight times.

My favorite place to be is in the NFL Films Theater.... That film was always the highlight of going for me.

However, the last time I went, two years ago, it was now NFL Network-sponsored. And it blew chunks.

 

Steve Sabol's sister was a political writer for the Village Voice.

 

I guess this means they won't spring for Mel Blanc's son to voice the next generation of Football Follies.

 

I grew up watching This is the NFL with Summerall and Brookshier in an age where highlights were scarce. I feel for people losing their jobs. But in truth, with video running 24/7 everywhere (ESPN SportsZone urinals, anyone?), and players an coaches playing to the camera, the close-up tight-spiral shot invented by NFL Films long ago moved from iconic to cliche.