NFL Makes New Media Restrictions

USA Today reports that the NFL has made new media restrictions that are already causing controversy. In an attempt to clean up their image the NFL is limiting where fans can get their media content and videos. Non-NFL websites are only allowed to show 45 second videos starting this season. If fans want to watch highlights or press conferences they need to go to a NFL sanctioned website to see it.

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The nation's richest and most powerful sports league has launched a behind-the-scenes effort to seize greater control over what fans see, read and hear -- and chart an even more lucrative course for itself in the process. It's taking a series of steps to drive more fans and advertisers toward its own NFL Network cable channel and NFL.com website. And at a time when the NFL is trying to clean up its image by cracking down on team personnel who have off-field conduct problems, the league also is imposing new -- critics say onerous -- restrictions on how the independent media cover its players, coaches and teams.

Among the new and controversial restrictions this year: News organization websites not affiliated with the NFL are limited to 45 seconds of video/audio clips a day of team personnel at team facilities. This includes material from interviews, news conferences and practice footage.

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