MNF moved to ESPN

air_hog · Post by **air_hog** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 5:42 pm

Starting in '06, Monday Night Football will air on ESPN

And Sunday Night Football will air on ABC

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2040130

What will they do next, move the Super Bowl to cable...

hatsOFF2gibbs · Post by **hatsOFF2gibbs** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 5:45 pm

Monday Night Football moving to ESPN in '06

NFL.com wire reports

NEW YORK (April 18, 2005) -- The NFL's Monday Night Football, a staple on ABC for the past 35 seasons, will move to ESPN starting with the 2006 season.

And NBC is returning to the NFL after six years away by taking the Sunday night broadcast previously on ESPN.

The Monday night move from network TV to basic cable, hinted at continually by commissioner Paul Tagliabue, was confirmed by two sources familiar with the deals who spoke to The Associated Press under condition of anonymity. The sources said the deals is for eight years.

NBC will get the Sunday night package for six years, according to the sources. The network will also get the Super Bowl in 2009 and 2012 as part of the deal, one of the sources said.

The moves leave ABC -- which originated Monday Night Football in 1970 -- as the only major network without NFL football.

ABC and ESPN are both subsidiaries of the Walt Disney Co. The deal with ESPN, which currently carries games every Sunday night and sometimes on Thursday, was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

Last month, Tagliabue said during the NFL meetings in Hawaii that the Monday night move was a strong possibility. ABC, which has been losing money on the package despite high ratings, had been balking at the NFL's asking price.

CBS and Fox already have agreed to pay a total of $8 billion over six years for the Sunday AFC and NFC rights.

That has become more pressing since parity caused by the salary cap has resulted in teams moving up and down the standings annually, leaving bad teams that were strong the previous season in prime time and good teams that were bad the past season off of it.

The NFL is still considering separate packages for Thursday and late-season Saturday nights.

Does this mean that the ones who do not have ESPN will not be able to watch it??

Fios · Post by **Fios** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 5:47 pm

Oh my god, Theisman is going to be insufferable. Please tell me Berman won't be anywhere near that broadcast booth.

air_hog · Post by **air_hog** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 5:54 pm

MORE BREAKING NEWS...

I BEAT YOU

http://www.the-hogs.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12543

were you watching PTI too...

But I think this is stupid. Monday Night Football should be a National Televised event.

JDC · Post by **JDC** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 6:16 pm

Air hog,

I think not having ESPN is equally as stupid.

ANT7088 · Post by **ANT7088** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 6:28 pm

Who cares, as long as it's on! I thought we traded someone or something!

Alcatraz · Post by **Alcatraz** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 7:31 pm

Everything keeps changing

ejay183 · Post by **ejay183** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 7:33 pm

NNNNNOOOOOO!!!!! :explode:

Why did they do that? I love Monday Night Football and I dont have cable.

Alcatraz · Post by **Alcatraz** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 7:35 pm

Calm down Silky you be aight

Chris Luva Luva · Post by **Chris Luva Luva** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 7:57 pm

The NFL is really making a lot of bad moves for a lot of people. 1st selling exclusive rights to EA, alienating tons of ESPN2k5 fans, and not narrowing down their userbase. I know most people have some type of cable tv nowadays but jeez.

Jake · Post by **Jake** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 8:15 pm

I merged both TV topics.

Clinton Portis · Post by **Clinton Portis** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 8:43 pm

Welll....

Lets enjoy our last year of freedom.

I SUPPOSE the NFL thinks EVERYONE has cable...

What about our Omish fans! :roll:

cvillehog · Post by **cvillehog** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 8:59 pm

air_hog wrote:And Sunday Night Football will air on ABC

NBC, not ABC.

curveball · Post by **curveball** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 9:42 pm

MNF will cease to exist after this new contract runs out.

The fine folks at Disney have destroyed another institution amongst sports fans. Remember the pre-Disney days at ESPN when they actually showed sports all day? Or when the Sportscenter anchor actually pretended that the particular highlight was more important to the viewer than the anchor themselves.

As cable became more readily available and viewership of the broadcast networks dropped across the board, MNF was still the king. ABC, then Disney, decided that the way to boost ratings (I guess #1 almost every week wasn't good enough) was to entice non-football fans, increasing the "entertainment" and decreasing the focus on football. Things like Dennis Miller were great ideas. As ratings went into free fall, they decided that it couldn't have been their fault, people must not like football any longer, let's focus even more "entertainment".

When the ESPN ratings plummet in '06, we'll be subjected to even more "entertainment" instead of football. Sideline reporter Phil Helmuth will be asking Ron Mexico why he folded the pocket jacks on third and short. Joe Theeesman will clone himself on air at halftime just so he can enjoy the sound of his own voice twice as much.

Won't it be great?

hatsOFF2gibbs · Post by **hatsOFF2gibbs** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 11:09 pm

This sucks. I do have cable but I know other fans who do not. What are they to do? Get cable? What if they can't afford it?

Jeez....the NFL should try to make this a nationally telivised night. Maybe ESPN would show the game on ABC7 like they do when the Redskins are playing....

General Failure · Post by **General Failure** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 11:15 pm

Clinton Portis wrote:What about our Omish fans!

They can watch it with the Moomanites.

hatsOFF2gibbs · Post by **hatsOFF2gibbs** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 11:19 pm

Supposedly NBC4 signed a deal with the NFL saying that they'll show the Sunday night games which ESPN showed in the past.
So, NBC4 will be airing Sunday night football and ESPN will be airing Monday Night Football.

BTW, does anyone have a link to a website where I can download the Monday Night Football theme tune? What about the NFL theme tune? (You know....the little tune we all hear before a game starts...the one with the NFL logo and McNabb running around....I think)

cvillehog · Post by **cvillehog** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 11:37 pm

hatsOFF2gibbs wrote:Supposedly NBC4 signed a deal with the NFL saying that they'll show the Sunday night games which ESPN showed in the past.
So, NBC4 will be airing Sunday night football and ESPN will be airing Monday Night Football.

BTW, does anyone have a link to a website where I can download the Monday Night Football theme tune? What about the NFL theme tune? (You know....the little tune we all hear before a game starts...the one with the NFL logo and McNabb running around....I think)

hatsOFF, did you read any of the rest of this thread?

It isn't just NBC4, it is NBC corporate.

air_hog · Post by **air_hog** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 12:31 am

So I wonder who will Broadcast the NBC Games and who will do their Pre-Game shows.

Looks like good 'ole Joe Theisman just got screwed.

Primetime42 · Post by **Primetime42** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 2:15 am

I actually used to like Theisman (South River and all) but he just got so annoying over the years.

Here's hoping Michaels at least goes to ESPN.

redskindave · Post by **redskindave** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:47 am

I agree with ANT7088, I dont care as long as its on

skins81 · Post by **skins81** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 12:34 pm

I know this site is usually crap, but it can be entertaining.

Pro Football Talk wrote:Based on the current ESPN lineup, we think that the network will end up going semi-safe, but semi-controversial with its Monday night booth by teaming Berman, Steve Young, and Jim Rome.

In a word.
Unwatchable.

General Failure · Post by **General Failure** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 12:55 pm

Berman and Young would be alright, but I refuse to watch that midget.

JansenFan · Post by **JansenFan** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 1:41 pm

As much as I hate Rome, I think he would only be the second most annoying common tater.

skins81 · Post by **skins81** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 2:08 pm

Rome's radio show has ZERO to do with sports.
Listen to him only if you feel the need to waste time. He is one of the least informed people I have ever heard.
He only made his name from that CHris Everett fiasco.

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MNF moved to ESPN

MNF moved to ESPN

BREAKING NEWS!!!!!

Re: MNF moved to ESPN