Monday Night Football – Where The NFL learned how to party.

In 1967, the NFL experimented with a concept of having the Pro Game aired on Monday Night. By the time the NFL and the AFL merged, the NFL created the greatest deal in the history of all sport and by some accounts still is the greatest. CBS would get the NFC games. NBC will get the AFC games. Then the NFL asked that both networks to take the monday package…both said not really.

The NFL was in talks with both a very small network at the time, money wise and tech wise – ABC. They were also in talks with a large sports syndicator - Hughes Network (owned by Howard Hughes) The League was about to give the contract to Hughes, and with that – the ABC stations would have aired the syndicated broadcast of the NFL game – killing any chance for ABC’s survival down the road. ABC bucked down and asked for rights. The NFL did so – and the rest is a great and wonderful history.

Here are a few parts from the Intro and the game of the first Monday Night Game between the Jets and the Browns:

The first year commentator…was none other than Keith Jackson of College Football fame (they didnt get Gifford Until 1973.)

Here is the most famous team, and the very pycadelic intro in 1973:

As you can see – Cosell was used as a dramatist - one who could cover other peoples mistakes on the field and give gravitas to the game… its a lost art… The rumbling stumbling mantra now used by Berman of ESPN fame comes from Cosell.

Pregame Show from 1973:

Here is from the 1978 Pro Bowl game – more disco.

This is from the 1980 season – very different…

By this time – Roone Artlage spend a HUGE amount of money on both the News and Sports divisions of the company. There were some limited success to both ends.

In 1985 a new GFX package was done – this is where main logo and type face for Monday Night is shown. This was the 25 anniversary of what now was becoming a great sports division in ABC. Howard left the network about some years earlier but Monday Night was about to have the biggest ratings ever:

The later link is from the highest rated game in the history of the Monday Night Franchise. The presentation is longer, because it heightens the anticipation for this huge game.

Shockingly, youtube doesn’t have the smashing helmet intros that came into fashion the next year. But it does have the Hank Willams Jr Song: Are you Ready for Some Football

The latter one is when he came back around 1995…

Heres one with the smashing helmets:

This is from the 25th season.

From all the changes and all the introductions – and a couple of super bowls too…

And 500 Games…

It left its mark on american culture.

Not to be outdone, ESPN (the future holder of Monday Night) did Sunday Night Football:

Heres one of the most underrated themes in sport: ESPN’s Primetime Intro – but we dont have the good one. So heres one from the 80’s.

In 2006, the party was over. Monday Night left for ESPN, and ABC Sports later became defunct. The new ESPN version hasnt has much success – but the ratings have been huge for the sports network.

The main three networks all had a hand in helping the NFL grow. In recent years, there has been a underwhelming fear that the league will shift from network to pay based systems in the years to come. Something will give…and it isnt gonna be pretty when it does.

As for the connections to animation – at one time all of the commentators were on or parodied in one animated series or another. I do have to make this short.

ill have a final word in a moment – but right now other things need to be completed.