Could Monday Night Football be in danger? It's apparently a big money-loser for ABC, but their affiliates love it, and there are plenty of suitors out there if Big Mouse asks for a divorce. Read this LA Times article for the scoop. Via Tom Kirkendall.
Posted by Charles Kuffner on August 27, 2004 to Other sports | TrackBackI would not be that surprised to see Monday Night Football leave ABC for ESPN. Programming a football game on Monday nights leaves a problem for the remaining weeks of the television season, and movies are no longer a viable option in this era of more than 40 movie channels on cable (at least in my package). If they can get a ratings winner on that night, MNF can be moved without missing a beat.
Posted by: William Hughes on August 27, 2004 9:02 AMI suppose I should say something besides "Death to Big Mouse."
Most newsrooms hate MNF because they never know when the Monday 10/11PM news will go on. That's why most affiliates do single-anchor on Fall Monday nights, trading off who has to wait for the game to finish.
The current plan is for ABC to swap with ESPN. ABC gets Sunday, ESPN gets Monday.
Don't ask about the new season's Prime Time. I burned the preview tapes of these crimes against humanity. But keep an eye on the output from the recent purchase of Henson Studios by Disney.
Posted by: Laurence Simon on August 27, 2004 9:39 AMI think it's just a negotiating ploy by Disney against the NFL. But if ABC does drop MNF, I wonder if NBC will try to get back into football?
Posted by: Todd Gaines on August 27, 2004 12:10 PM