The NFL Friday announced that it "will offer to fans the coaches' film known as the 'All 22,' which shows all 22 players on the field at once," according to Kevin Clark of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. The footage, "which will be released on the league's 'Game Rewind' package, was long-desired by NFL fans but not granted for every play until now" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/16). CBSSPORTS.com's Will Brinson noted during the '11 NFL season, "the league began offering snippets" of the "All-22 Film" as part of the "Game Rewind" package on NFL.com. In '12, the NFL will allow purchase of a Game Rewind package that "features every single All-22 play of the season." This is a "very big deal if you like high-quality NFL analysis" because the introduction of the All-22 film "will alter the way that people in the business write about football." Opening up the All-22 "is a bit controversial, though." Twitter was "ablaze Friday afternoon with a debate about whether or not the NFL's decision was smart." The package is $69.99 "right now for 'Super Fans'" and it includes all '12 NFL regular-season games, '09-11 game archives, condensed games and the '12 coaches film (CBSSPORTS.com, 6/15). PROFOOTBALLTALK.com's Mike Florio wrote, "Frankly, the league could charge much more than $69.99 for access to the coaches film alone, and virtually everyone in the media would buy it." Instead, the league "hopes to maximize the total number of folks who purchase the package by making the All-22 film available as part of a broader collection of video with a very affordable price" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 6/15).
NICE PLAY: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Clark wrote the move "will please the most hardcore NFL fans who cannot pick up entire plays or schemes with regular television cameras, even with advances in high-definition TV" (WSJ.com, 6/15). In Boston, Greg Bedard wrote, "Three cheers for the NFL making the 'All-22' coaches film available for the first time." It is the "exact film the coaches use -- it shows all 22 players on the field, and specific end zone shots of line play -- to evaluate their players" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/17).
