Farewell ABC Monday Night Football
Last night was the last NFL Monday Night Football game to be played on ABC. The New England Patriots beat the New York Jets last night 31-21. The score doesn’t really reflect how the Jets played. They scored a defensive TD in the first half and then some late time garbage points at the end of the game. The first three scores of the game were all defensive TDs, including two Mike Vrabel scores. New England made a strong case last night to prove that they are the team to beat in the AFC, not the Colts.Starting in the 2006 NFL season next year, Monday Night Football will be show on ABC’s sister, ESPN. Both ABC and ESPN are owned by Disney, so why this move was made I’m still not sure. Don’t worry, ESPN isn’t hogging all the games. Sunday Night Football will be moved to NBC, who hasn’t shown a NFL game in years. Why did the NFL make this move?
Monday Night Football has become a tradition to some families and must watch TV over recent years. Why would the NFL switch MNF to a cable channel that millions of viewers do not pay for? That’s suicide! Isn’t it?
Here’s where it gets tricky. MNF is not as popular as you think. Over the last few years or so, CBS has posted a killer Monday night lineup that brings in more viewers than Monday Night Football. Headlined by Everybody Loves Raymond and 2 and ½ Men. CBS was smart. They played shows that the women would want to see. Raymond and 2 ½ Men appeal to men as well, so when the woman wants to watch them, the husband isn’t likely to say much. Besides he can just Tivo the game, or catch the second half.
If you ask me the NFL is making a mistake. I don’t care how many wives make their husbands turn the tubes off for a half hour, you can’t put Monday Night Football on a cable channel. There are millions and millions of viewers and football fans who do not pay for cable. And now the NFL is taking the tradition away from them. Sure they get to watch NBC Sunday Night now, but it’s not the same. Sunday Night football isn’t a tradition.
posted by David Lithman at 2:40 PM
7 Comments:
I wonder how many people tend to watch MNF at sports bars, rather than at home? That's something often not taken into consideration whenever declining ratings are discussed.
(And speaking of ratings, I don't have the numbers on hand, but I believe ABC's ratings would be considered very good on ESPN.)
I also wonder how many people in the Eastern (and maybe Central) time zone bother to stay up for the whole game anymore?
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm not sure this is a big mistake for the NFL. If people want to watch the game, they'll find a way to do so.
I'm not really sad to see it leave ABC and this is why, flexability. Many of the Monday/Sunday night match-ups were terrible and next season will bring a flexable schedule with better games.
The NFL is business savvy. If they're getting almost double what ABC is currently paying (ESPN is paying 1.1 billion per year!) they'll switch no matter what. ESPN has much more money to spend because they get it from advertisers and subscribers. ABC just got revenue from advertisers.
It's a smart business decision for the NFL. I agree with Dolphinfan also and will welcome the flexible scheduling.
Sure NBC will market Sunday Night Football as the must see night, but I don't think it'll be able to beat the tradition of MNF.
I can't believe that the NFL would allow this. Remember it was a couple years ago (hard to believe that it was that long ago) that the NFL was pissed at ESPN for their Drama show called Playmakers that reflected the NFL. ESPN was going to lose all NFL shows if they aired a second season. Makes me wonder if this was added into the deal? You do not bring Playmakers back for a second season and you will get MNF after the contract is up with ABC.
I also agree with you that the Patriots are the AFC team in the Super Bowl.
I would also say the Bucs, Yes, My Bucs are the NFC team to beat. However, I am scared of the Pats. They destroyed us last time we met.
Benny has nailed it. That is the reason why. ABC was taking a bath on MNF for years. It was not the event it was years ago pre-cable, etc.
Why have you stopped posting?
And now we'll have to deal with Joe Theismann on Monday nights. :(
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