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.