Is there a way to buy tapes of old NFL games?

Factual Questions
1

So I was looking for a blank (read: tape overable) tape last night and found an old NFL game of the Joe Montana led Chiefs against the Montanaless 49ers. Watched the opening drive, which culminated with a Joe Montana TD to a pass-eligible guard on 4th and goal from the 1.

Led me to wondering, in a roundabout way, if old NFL games were available for purchase somehow. (In particular, that MNF game between Montana’s Chiefs and Elway’s Broncos, which ended with two long fourth quarter drives. :eek:) I scoured the NFL.com site, and searched through all NFL Films appears to have to offer, all to no avail. Searches of the networks’ sites were similarly fruitless.

So, is there any way to relive these great older games (unless they’re replayed on ESPN way late at night), or are they pretty much gone for good?

2

A few thoughts:

One, you’re not going to get any help from the NFL, or probably NFL Films.

Raiding a local affiliate might help. I would imagine that the local CBS station would have a Redskins/Giants game from the late '80s, f’instance.

ESPN Classic shows old games all the time. I bet they have a request line.

3

Well, after poking around on Google for a while (“classic NFL football video”), I unearthed this. I have absolutely no clue as to whether it’s legal, legitimate, still in business, or otherwise the Real Thing.

http://www.kinet.or.jp/caesar/videos.html

Montfort’s right, apparently all the NFL is offering is tastefully packaged “highlights” videos, set to music.

And, here’s how to vote on what game ESPN runs on Sunday night “Classic”.

http://espn.go.com/community/s/classicsportsviewerpoll.html

4

I believe that any rebroadcast or retransmission of the accounts or descriptions of a particular game without the express written consent of the commissioner of the NFL is strictly prohibited.

That’s been drummed into my head since I was a lad.

5

applause

6

Well, that’s kind of what I thought, and I notice that it’s a Japanese URL. Would that matter?

7

The guy doesn’t quote a price for his videos. You have to send him an e-mail to set up the purchase. And it’s a website in Japan, although it appears to be put together by an American.

It seems a bit shaky to me and I seriously doubt that the guy who runs that website has the express written consent of the Commissioner of the NFL to sell the videos.

Of course, once you have the video you want in your possession the chances of anyone doing anything about are virtually nil.