Cooler temps, falling leaves, football season is upon us! The National Football League is the most prolific business in the world of professional sports. Annually, the Super Bowl captures an audience of over 130 million people. This is in no small part owed to the great work of Steve Sabol, President of NFL Films, who passed away on Tuesday, September 18, 2012.
Starting in 1962, with the NFL Championship game, Steve Sabol embarked on a career of filmography, cinematography, writing, editing, directing and producing NFL-related media that earned him 35 career Emmy awards. Whether you are a football fan or not, you have no doubt seen the NFL Films highlight videos documenting crushing hits and hilarious bloopers. Steve Sabol revolutionized how Americans view football as not just a game on a television, but truly living art. Every aspect of the game has been opened to the public through Steve’s work. He leaves behind a lasting legacy of a thriving business, wonderful family, and a half century of innovation that many would argue is responsible for the modern game as we know it.
As a pioneer for the game of football, it is our hope that Mr. Sabol took the proper measures to preserve his legacy through extensive estate planning. He has helped build an empire that nobody would want to see destroyed because of a failure to plan. Everyone should keep that in mind no matter how large or small your estate. Preserve what you have, whether it’s a Fortune 500 company or a family heirloom.
The game of football has lost a great ambassador. Thank you, Steve Sabol, for your great contributions to a game we all love!
- Gary Altman, Esq. and Adam Abramowitz, Esq.