Clock Runs Out On ABC's Monday Night Football

[cablewithaview]

Monday night's game between the Patriots and the Jets means little in the standings, but it does mark the end of an era on network television.

UNDATED (AP) -- It's the 555th and last Monday Night Football game on ABC. After 36 seasons, the series switches to its sister cable network ESPN, while is paying one-point-one billion dollars per year for the franchise.

ABC began its Monday Night Football run on September 21st, 1970, with the Jets playing at Cleveland. The original broadcast team consisted of Keith Jackson, Don Meredith and the often bombastic Howard Cosell. Frank Gifford replaced Jackson in the second year.

While Cosell sometimes infuriated the audience, long-time producer Dennis Lewin said he "made people listen."

The ABC franchise draws to a close with Al Michaels and John Madden calling the action. Michaels will follow the series to ESPN.

http://www.wlbz2.com/home/article.asp?id=29966

 

[cablewithaview]

Monday Night Football Tradition Ends

Program Moves from ABC to ESPN

After 36 years on ABC`s broadcast network, Monday`s broadcast of the New England Patriots vs. New York Jets will be its last.

Next year, the program will move to the ESPN cable network.

When the program debuted, it wrote a new playbook on how to televise football. ABC worked with NFL Films for highlights and convinced reluctant owners to let ABC Sports install cameras all over the field, including two at the 50-yard line, one on each 25-yard line and at least one in each end zone, as well as several hand-helds. ABC`s goal was to build a viewing audience that went outside of fans of the teams that happened to be playing.

The first game, which also featured the Jets, showed just what kind of drama could be seen onfield for the first time. The cameras zeroed followed Jets quarterback Joe Namath, as he walked off the field, hands on hips, head down, dejected.

In addition, ABC added to the entertainment value of the program with its broadcast team of Howard Cosell and his two co-stars, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Don Meredith and New York Giants halfback Frank Gifford.

In a three network world, the program`s audience grew to be a top 10 program. But as viewing options have grown, Monday Night Football`s ratings have fallen. Ultimately ABC decided to switch to entertainment programming.

In 2006, NBC will take over the Sunday night game, and the Monday game will be on ESPN`s cable network.



Sign of the Times

http://www.weis990am.com/

 

[youcantseeme]

Turn out the lights, the partys over!

 

[Ramy]

Don't turn out the lights yet. They still have some playoff games and the SuperBowl

 

[dragon002]

dont you guys see what is going on here??

disney OWNS both ABC and ESPN, so why the switch?

because on many cable systems ESPN is on a premium tier and they can charge more per sub than they can for the local ABC affilliate or the NATIONAL feeds

 

[cdru]

dont you guys see what is going on here??

disney OWNS both ABC and ESPN, so why the switch?

Ratings. The majority of the viewing market that would watch MNF also subscribes to some form of cable or satellite, so MNF on ABC or ESPN will mean little difference other then changing channels. However, MNF takes up a hugh block of prime time television (more on the west then in the east).

Ratings have been down significantly over nearly the last decade and ABC just didn't want to pay the price. They much rather put multiple other shows in that time slot to reach more viewers.

Oddly enough, Desperate Housewives has been drawing more of the male 18-49 crowd then what MNF draws.