ABC makes big 'Monday Night Football' announcement
By Max Weisman
ABC announced Friday that it would be simulcasting six additional 'Monday Night Football' games this season, beginning this Monday with the Buffalo Bills at the New York Jets. The additional games raise the total number of games broadcast on ABC this season to 17; 14 simulcasts with ESPN and three exclusive ABC games.
According to Joe Reedy of the Associated Press, the decision was made by the NFL and the Walt Disney Company, which owns both ABC and ESPN. A season ago, ABC broadcast a game during all 18 weeks. They had an agreement with the NFL to broadcast the games because there was no fall programming on ABC due to the writer's and actor's strikes. This season, they'll have 17 games.
More Monday Night Football coming to ABC this season. Network is adding 6 Monday Night Football simulcasts to its previously announced schedule. NBC and CBS and Fox no doubt gritting their teeth about this.
— Joe Flint (@JBFlint) October 11, 2024
The added games are the Baltimore Ravens at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 21, Tampa Bay at the Kansas City Chiefs on November 4, the Houston Texans at the Dallas Cowboys on November 18, the Baltimore Ravens at the Los Angeles Chargers on November 25 and the New Orleans Saints at the Green Bay Packers on December 23.
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In 2023, across all 'Monday Night Football' networks, ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, MNF averaged 17.36 million viewers, a 29% increase from the 2022 season.
The move to broadcast all games on ABC will rake in higher viewership numbers, and also shows Disney's determination to broadcast more sports on the network. Super Bowl 61, which will be played in Los Angeles in 2027 will be broadcast on ABC, and the College Football National Championship will move to the network in 2027 as well.
This week, viewers will be able to watch Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen and company battle in a renewal of the Bills-Jets rivalry on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 which will be broadcasting the ManningCast.
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