CBS3 SummerFest: NFL Films Is A Constant Reminder Of A League Rich With History
MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (CBS) -- Among the many businesses that you'll find around Mount Laurel, one big-name company has long called the town home. You can even say it's their "home turf."
"So NFL Films was in Philadelphia until 1979 -- 1980, moved out to Mount Laurel," said Ross Ketover, senior vice president of NFL Films. "And in 2001, we moved here to this building."
Inside NFL Films, the walls are a constant reminder of a league rich with history. The heart and soul of NFL Films remain Steve Sabol's office.
"There's a lot of history in this room. We're standing in what was Steve Sabol's office which we now use as a real creative epicenter," said Ketover. "Some of the interesting things, he has thousands of cards of facts on players, on moments."
The office remains as is following the younger Sabol's death in 2012. And the family remains beloved, with their legacy cherished.
"The Sabol family is NFL Films and in many ways, everyone who works at NFL Films is a son or daughter with a surname Sabol," said Ken Rodgers, senior coordinating producer at NFL Films.
Much of that unending legacy lives in a concrete bunker. Inside the vault's thick, hallowed walls, is where the history of the NFL is preserved, dating back well over 100 years.
There are over 115 million feet of film housed here, including some gems and some forgettable games.
Emily Leitner took CBS3 behind the scenes of NFL Films for their most high-profile production, "Hard Knocks." Leitner, along with roughly 100 teammates, is tasked with making football magic.
"It's a crazy turnaround and a crazy month-plus for everyone," she said. "And the thing that helps make it work is that we have an incredible amount of manpower and people working crazy hours, whether they're out with the team or back here."
This season, the NFL is celebrating a milestone -- 100 years on the gridiron. So NFL Films is crafting a specific orchestral sound to go with it. It resonates deeply, just as the Sabol family had always intended.
"They weren't just the pioneers of this company or really the pioneers of football filmmaking. They were the pioneers of sports television as we see it today," said Rodgers.
