In Newark, James Kratch reported NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell while at MetLife Stadium for Thursday night's Redskins-Giants game filmed "an interview with CBS News' Steve Kroft for '60 Minutes.'" Goodell and Kroft "walked out onto the field" at around 5:30pm ET and were seen "speaking by a makeshift set with lights and cameras" (NJ.com, 9/24). PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio noted it is "not known when the interview will be televised." It will be "interesting to see how hard-hitting the interaction will be" (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 9/24).
GETTING THEIR HANDS DIRTY: ESPN's Adam Schefter noted Goodell and the league's committee overseeing putting a team in L.A. want to become more involved in the process because it is "closer than ever before to happening." ESPN’s Bill Polian said, “It takes 24 votes of the owners to do this, so this has to be an owners committee marshaling votes of their brethren. Secondly, and most importantly, there will be a relocation fee. ... That will be a subject of heavy negotiation, and this committee will be part of that negotiation” (“NFL Insiders,” ESPN, 9/24).
NEED TO BE GOOD TO GO: NFL Exec VP/Int'l Mark Waller on Thursday said that the league "would only put a full-time franchise in London if all operational issues are worked out and the league is sure the team would be competitive." Waller said that there is "no time frame for possibly placing a team in London, adding that a decision will come 'when we're ready.'" The AP's Stephen Wilson noted NFL officials "have said for years that they envisage having a franchise in London one day, though many issues still need to be resolved and the league wants to be sure an overseas team would be profitable" (AP, 9/24).
REF-ERRAL FEE: The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference has signed an agreement that creates additional training and development opportunities for individuals seeking to enter the football officiating profession. The NFL will not only provide the SIAC with technical assistance in connection with conference officiating clinics, but also give feedback with regard to current officiating best practices. The SIAC will provide the league with access to all of the conference's game video, evaluations of all SIAC officials and provide officials from the NFL's Intermediate Development Program opportunities to officiate conference games (SIAC).
