ABC To Simulcast ‘Monday Night Football’ Every Week This Season
For the first time in 17 years, ABC will air a full season of Monday Night Football (MNF).
With Hollywood still shut down due to the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Disney is turning to live sports to help fill ABC’s schedule.
Photo: NFL.com
ABC Expands to 17 Broadcasts
The cable network was already planning on simulcasting seven games this season, but it will now expand its slate to the full 17-week NFL schedule.
In addition to helping bolster ABC’s schedule, the simulcast will also give Monday Night Football an increase in overall audience.
Photo: New York Jets
The September 11 season opener was simulcast on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN and drew the biggest audience since the franchise’s move to cable.
In addition to the Monday night games, ABC will simulcast a primetime NFL game on Saturday, December 30, and a doubleheader on Saturday, January 6 for the final weekend of the NFL’s regular season.
Photo: NFL
Networks Are Turning To Live Sports
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has previously hinted that broadcasters could beef up their NFL programming during the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
“NFL content is the best reality television going — I know people say I script the season, but I don’t,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “There’s going to be opportunities during this period of time, which is unfortunate, but it exists, and I think our content is going to have more opportunities during this fall season.”
Photo: New York Jets
For Monday Night Football, broadcasting on ABC will be something of a homecoming. ABC was the exclusive home of the franchise from its launch in 1971 through 2006.
Since that time, MNF has returned to the network for a couple of games over the past few seasons.
Photo: Sports Illustrated
As always, continue to check back with MickeyBlog. We will bring you updates on all the news related to ABC and ESPN.
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below and one of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Diamond level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon! Also, thanks for reading!
