Why aren't there more NFL/NBA/MLB/NHL/MLS DVDs out there?

[Squall]

Why aren't there more NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS DVDs out there? You'd think that the five major pro leagues in the U.S. & Canada would be making a killing releasing their rather substantial video archives on DVD.

Instead, we get few releases on DVD from any of them.

I just don't understand it. Look at WWE wrestling and UFC fighting, for example - go to any Best Buy or Fry's Electronics and there are five WWE DVDs for every one NFL/NBA/MLB/NHL/MLS DVD. Why is that?

It is true that we're finally starting to see "History of ____ Team" DVD box sets and "[Year] Season of ____ Team" DVD box sets, but I'm surprised they're still few and far between. There are lots of team histories and individual seasons, for both the team and the league, I'd love to buy on DVD... if only the leagues would release them.

Another idea, of which I'm sure I'm not the only one who has had it, is that the leagues could also make a fortune by creating one of the first "DVDs customized on demand" service. Think about it - let's say I just want a single DVD, made up of, say, the 1996 Divisional Playoff NFL game between the Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers. I just want that one game, in its broadcast entirety, on DVD, minus commercials. How hard would it be for the NFL to take that game, which they already have on tape, transfer it to DVD, burn the DVD, then make a simple yet nice slip cover for it (just use the NFL logo, the logos of the Cowboys and Panthers, and put the title and date of the game on the bottom), and put it in the mail? I'd happily pay $15-$20 each to get certain games on DVD in their broadcast entirety, to watch again whenever the urge struck me.

So, anyone have any idea why this is?

 

[RedNinja84]

Well the one thing MLB is doing is releasing the complete World Series on DVD. They may eventually release every series since the 50's, since they were on tv. I know they have released some from the 70's including the 75,77, and 79 series.

 

[Tommy Lawson]

Why aren't there more NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS DVDs out there? You'd think that the five major pro leagues in the U.S. & Canada would be making a killing releasing their rather substantial video archives on DVD.

Instead, we get few releases on DVD from any of them.

So, anyone have any idea why this is?

It might be TV contracts with ESPN that limit DVD releases, because ESPN wants to drive viewership to its digital cable ESPN Classic channel, and because the major sports want an ESPN presence. In this economy, with fewer people vacationing and such, a DVD (or even better, Blu-ray) archive release does make sense, but I'm not sure ESPN would be very happy about it.

 

[Bones Justice]

I've got to agree with the original poster. The NFL has decades of video yet we never get to see over 99% of it. Even when they do show old games on either ESPN or NFL Network, they cut out a large portion of the footage.

I always thought the NFL was missing an opportunity to show old games during the off-season. I think it would be great if they would pull a random game from any year and show it in the original broadcast. I mean, how many viewers would know who won a regular season game from decades ago? And I shouldn't have to say it but they shouldn't say who won the game in the schedule listing; they always make this goof with NFL Replay.

Anyways, if not a DVD release, how about some sort of online archive?

 

[Mikintosh]

Don't we have, like, a DVD board here or something?

 

[The Clown Prince]

Don't we have, like, a DVD board here or something?

We do. Thread moved.

 

[Wonderwall]

I think a lot of the appeal of sports is watching it at that time its happening, especially if its one of those great games in sports history. That's just my opinion, so I can see the appeal of being able to pop in a DVD and watch a collection of said games, but for me watching highlights on a sports channel or reading about it is good enough.

 

[Squall]

Heh. I thought I had originally posted this question in the DVD Board! Well, I'm glad it got moved there anyway. My mistake.

... For me, watching highlights on a sports channel or reading about it is good enough.

Well, some sports fans feel the way you do - only being interested in current events - but other sports fans feel the way I do, and love the history as much as the current events.

I think that the appeal of sports is 1/3 current events, 1/3 history, and 1/3 popular/talented athletes. And 2/3 of that whole creates a huge, untapped market for DVDs.

 

[Bones Justice]

I think a lot of the appeal of sports is watching it at that time its happening, especially if its one of those great games in sports history.

I see your point but as a football fan, what is there to watch during the off season now that the AFL has cancelled for 2009 and the CFL is not being broadcast in my area?

Also, there are many famous athletes from years past that are entertaining to watch in replay. I guess it's not unlike buying and watching a DVD of a movie that you saw in the theater already.