[© Image Duke University: Football]
Update to "Photographers and N.F.L. Collide Over Licensing Plan for Archives" (June 18)
At EP someone recently asked: "Anyone know of any lists where the transfer of the NFL Photos collection to WireImage is being discussed?" There had been -- just because of the NYT contract issue -- in the past a malicious response (bottom of page) from another EP contributor:
The article on the controversy surrounding on the ongoing contract dispute between the National Football League and its contributing photographers is especially interesting considering the Times' failure to report on the controversy surrounding the contract dispute between the New York Times and its freelance photographers over the Times' recent contract offer. When will we see that story covered in their newspaper?
Someone responded now: "Sportsshooter.com has had some threads on this". Indeed, there is a new (July 19) article from Paul Spinelli (the former NFL Director of Photographic Services in LA) titled "NFL Photo Library: An insider's perspective" who discusses "accusations of mismanagement of the archive and failure to respond to the advent of the digital age".
However, the issue is solved: Getty is out and WireImage was lucky. PDN has the complete story "WireImage Scores NFL Photo Archive; Photogs Get Buyout Package" (Jay DeFoore):
The National Football League has reached an agreement with photographers to dismantle the NFL Photo Library...The photographers own the copyright to their images and will retain copyright under the current deal.[...]
But enough of the NFL's past and current contributors so opposed Getty's involvement that they successfully steered the deal towards WireImage...Lewis...a photographer...says the deal signals that company's "great victory over Getty...this will be the first time [Getty has] lost out on an exclusive...this could be a precedent-setter".
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