Interesting piece from the NYT today, on how there is only one copy of the broadcast of Super Bowl I in existence, and the NFL refuses to buy it from the guy who has it and has vowed to sue him if he tries to sell it.
In conclusion, fuck this league.
CBS and NBC, which televised the game, did not preserve any tapes. But the copy that Haupt owns — of a broadcast that launched the Super Bowl as an enormous shared spectacle that attracts more than 100 million viewers — might never be seen on any network. The N.F.L. does not want to buy the tapes and has warned Haupt not to sell them to outside parties or else the league will pursue legal action.
The league also squashed a plan by CBS to interview the holder of the tape in return for money.But the league does not seem to agree with him that the tapes are a significant enough part of its legacy that it should pay him what he wants. It countered his initial request for $1 million with a $30,000 offer. It never raised its price and is not interested anymore in paying anything at all.
In conclusion, fuck this league.