Dave Volsky

[Gary Najman]

I’m very saddened to learn that Dave Volsky has to shut down his YouTube channel after 6 years, where he posted countless NFL Films tracks (many of them unreleased and difficult to find) and great highlights from the 60s and 70s. I know that NFL material is copyrighted, but it was the only way to find many tracks (I have the 10 CDs Autumn Thunder collection and there are at least other 10 CDs of NFL Films music that you can not find anywhere (a few of them are now on iTunes). I wish we could download the whole collection, my son loves to play these tunes on the piano.

[JeffreyMiller]

Interesting. There is a ton of NFLF material on YouTube, so wondering how far this will reach? As an author, I respect NFLF's right to take down anything they own, but admit that I do watch some film on YouTube that I might not have in my personal library.

[Bryan]

Kind of terrible in the sense of completely erasing history and knowledge. My favorite pieces of Dave's were his recreation of late 60's NFL Films work that had previously been lost, destroyed and unavailable. Most of his channel was music that was used by NFL Films, and only about 33% of those pieces were/are actual NFL Films property. The majority of the music was delved from the KPM library, of which the NFL has no legal standing. A somewhat bogus move by the NFL to shut down' Dave's channel in my opinion, but regardless it is a huge blow to the field of pro football research and historic preservation.

[lastcat3]

As someone who watches old games from youtube I'm beginning to find while there are still tons of regular season games on youtube playoff games are becoming much more rear. Yeah I don't have any problem with the NFL taking that stuff down though as the people who are putting it up are putting it up without permission to try to create their own following. No different than studios not allowing movies to be up on youtube.

[JohnR]

I enjoyed finding out the track names of the KPM music used in NFLF productions. Credit him for that. Seriously though, I thought what he was doing with the copyrighted film material was foolish. The dvds NFLF sell don't say "for home use only" for nothing.

[Gary Najman]

Kind of terrible in the sense of completely erasing history and knowledge. My favorite pieces of Dave's were his recreation of late 60's NFL Films work that had previously been lost, destroyed and unavailable. Most of his channel was music that was used by NFL Films, and only about 33% of those pieces were/are actual NFL Films property. The majority of the music was delved from the KPM library, of which the NFL has no legal standing. A somewhat bogus move by the NFL to shut down' Dave's channel in my opinion, but regardless it is a huge blow to the field of pro football research and historic preservation.

I completely agree, and I want to add that some Sam Spence‘s musical pieces (“Sea of Adventure”, “Microbes” and “Complex forms” among others) are unable to be find elsewhere (I have “The Power and the Glory” and “Autumn Thunder”, and also a couple of iTunes pieces, and those songs are not in any of those collections). From many other, Volsky’s channel is the only way to hear those amazing pieces, and it’s a shame that all this work will disappear in a few days,

[JeffreyMiller]

Kind of terrible in the sense of completely erasing history and knowledge. My favorite pieces of Dave's were his recreation of late 60's NFL Films work that had previously been lost, destroyed and unavailable. Most of his channel was music that was used by NFL Films, and only about 33% of those pieces were/are actual NFL Films property. The majority of the music was delved from the KPM library, of which the NFL has no legal standing. A somewhat bogus move by the NFL to shut down' Dave's channel in my opinion, but regardless it is a huge blow to the field of pro football research and historic preservation.

Well, I wold equate "erasing history and knowledge" more with book burning. The owner of the copyright or artwork (whether the actual artist or a company such as NFLF) has the right to protect its property no matter how much the public wants to have access to it.

[Bryan]

Well, I wold equate "erasing history and knowledge" more with book burning. The owner of the copyright or artwork (whether the actual artist or a company such as NFLF) has the right to protect its property no matter how much the public wants to have access to it.

To quote Indiana Jones, "That belongs in a museum." It reminds of Elias Hirdt Sports Bureau saying NFL statistics are "intellectual property". Gimme a break. The NFL and NFLF are 'concerned' that there is such an alleged 'high demand' for Dave Volsky's Youtube page, yet I assure you that when Volsky's page is shut down, there will be no subsequent NFLF offering of their 1968 Gamebreakers film and the like. NFL/NFLF is shutting down Volsky's page simply because they can. If, of all entities, the PFRA is onboard with such draconian measures, then I think we need to collectively reassess our mission.

[lastcat3]

Well, I wold equate "erasing history and knowledge" more with book burning. The owner of the copyright or artwork (whether the actual artist or a company such as NFLF) has the right to protect its property no matter how much the public wants to have access to it.

To quote Indiana Jones, "That belongs in a museum." It reminds of Elias Hirdt Sports Bureau saying NFL statistics are "intellectual property". Gimme a break. The NFL and NFLF are 'concerned' that there is such an alleged 'high demand' for Dave Volsky's Youtube page, yet I assure you that when Volsky's page is shut down, there will be no subsequent NFLF offering of their 1968 Gamebreakers film and the like. NFL/NFLF is shutting down Volsky's page simply because they can. If, of all entities, the PFRA is onboard with such draconian measures, then I think we need to collectively reassess our mission.

The NFL owns that material and if they want to police that material that gets added to youtube they have every right to do so. These youtubers are trying to take something that isn't theirs and gain a buck (or a following) out of it for themselves.

[JuggernautJ]

I'm with Bryan on this one.
One cannot "own" history.

Nor should one be allowed to deprive millions of joy and education out of greed.
If the NFL wants to (reasonably) control the way their "property" is shared then let them do so.
If they just want to hoard their goods and make them inaccessible to the general public then they should get out of the way and let others spread the joy.
I have no truck with misers and hoarders.