NFL Owners, Players and Families Invited by Sony to See Movie 'Concussion'

Actor Will Smith stars in the movie Concussion, and director Ridley Scott and producer Giannina Scott said that “this is a movie for the players,” per CBS Cleveland. With that in mind, Sony Pictures Entertainment will reportedly let NFL owners, players and their families into the movie for free.

CBS Cleveland provided the details:    

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Sony Pictures Entertainment is offering NFL players and their families free admission to the movie during the duration of the film’s run, which begins on Christmas Day.  The studio has already engaged many current and former NFL players, holding private screenings in each team’s city in advance of its opening. By reaching out to the people who are most impacted by the film’s themes, the studio is engaging with the NFL players to join the national dialogue about the film.

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The movie tells the story of Dr. Bennet Omalu, who first discovered chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, as a football-related brain-trauma issue and attempted to shine light on the truth and the overall risk with playing the sport. Smith portrays Omalu in the movie.

Trailers for the movie have played during commercial breaks of actual NFL (and college) games, which makes for a jarring juxtaposition for those watching. Concussions are one of the largest worries for the NFL and football in general, and Jenny Vrentas of the MMQB added context in light of the movie’s release:

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It was the first of many diagnoses of CTE in deceased ex-NFLers—now at 87 and counting—which has mushroomed into the cloud that hangs over the NFL today: What are the long-term health risks of the most popular sport in the United States? The movie, recounting real-life events with some creative license, shows Omalu being stonewalled by the NFL as he tries to ring the alarm on the effects of repeated head trauma on players’ health.

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Interestingly, the movie uses copyright material from the NFL, including its logo. Jason Guerrasio of Business Insider explained why it was able to do that “without the league’s consent” and noted lawyer Michael C. Donaldson said “as long as the use of the NFL trademark and team logos does not in and of itself disparage or misrepresent the brands, there is no need to ask for permission.”

The movie did not use the logo in a way that misrepresents how it is actually used, so it was permissible.

Concussion opens in theaters across the country on Friday, but those who are directly impacted by concussions in the NFL have the opportunity to see it before the general public.