NFL And Paley Center Set First Public Screening Of Long-Lost Super Bowl I Broadcast

Dade Hayes

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The Paley Center for Media in New York will host an expansive new exhibit marking the 100th season of the NFL, which kicks off tonight when the Chicago Bears renew their rivalry with the Green Bay Packers.

Running September 14 to October 27, A Century of Football: Celebrating the NFL’s 100th Season, which is free to the public, will feature a range of screenings, experiences and memorabilia.

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One artifact of particular note was long considered a lost treasure by football and TV buffs: a recording of the CBS broadcast of the first Super Bowl ever played. Super Bowl I, the 1967 contest between the Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs, was carried by both CBS and NBC, a clear sign of how little anyone anticipated the juggernaut the league would become.

The broadcast does not include the halftime show or chunks of third-quarter action, but the audio is intact and it includes commercials and a post-game interview with NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle.

In 2016, NFL Network aired a cobbled-together, enhanced version of the Super Bowl I that blended material from both network airings. The Paley screenings of the game (on September 14, 15, 18, 19, and 20) will rely on a copy that Paley officials say is the only one known to exist. The tape was donated to the center by Troy Haupt, whose late father had recorded it on a Quadruplex machine in the Scranton, PA television station where he worked.

The exhibit will feature the Vince Lombardi Trophy, given to the Super Bowl champion, as well as a collection of all 53 Super Bowl rings, and various items from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Also included will be gaming stations featuring Madden 20, interactive trivia, arts and crafts for families and kids, and a special NFL photo moment for fans.

An extensive selection of NFL-themed programming will be screened, some of it organized into week-long slates dedicated to the New York Giants, New York Jets and Chicago Bears.

“We’re thrilled to join the NFL and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in providing football fans with this interactive look at the game we love,” said Maureen J. Reidy, Paley Center President and CEO.

“The NFL is honored to partner with The Paley Center for Media and the Pro Football Hall of Fame on this extraordinary exhibit,” said Pete Abitante, NFL Vice President of Special Projects.

Along with announcing the exhibit, the Paley Center said the NFL will make a donation to the Paley Archive that will include the 100 greatest games ever played, documentaries celebrating the 100th season. It will also give additional Super Bowl broadcasts, meaning the Paley Center will have the full collection of all Super Bowl championship games.

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