The reach of “Monday Night Football” will increase drastically this season. ABC will add 10 “Monday Night Football” simulcasts to its lineup this season, the network announced Monday. Here’s what you need to know:
- These games were previously exclusive to ESPN only.
- This is expected to be a one-year only situation and is undoubtedly the result of less programming due to ongoing strikes by both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA.
- The only “Monday Night Football” games that will not be simulcast on ABC will be the New Orleans Saints at the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 18, the Los Angeles Rams at the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 25 and the Tennessee Titans at the Miami Dolphins. on December 11, 2023.
“Monday Night Football” games that will now air on ABC
•Seahawks at Giants (October 2, 2023 – 8:15 p.m. – ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
•Packers at Raiders (Oct. 9, 2023 – 8:15 p.m. – ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
•Cowboys at Chargers (October 16, 2023 – 8:15 p.m. – ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
•49ers at Vikings (October 23, 2023 – 8:15 p.m. – ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
•Raiders at Lions (October 30, 2023 – 8:15 p.m. – ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
•Chargers at Jets (Nov. 6, 2023 – 8:15 p.m. – ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
•Broncos at Bills (Nov. 13, 2023 – 8:15 p.m. – ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
•Bears at Vikings (Nov. 27, 2023 – 8:15 p.m. – ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
•Bengals at Jaguars (Dec. 4, 2023 – 8:15 p.m. – ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
•Chiefs at Patriots (Dec. 18, 2023 – 8:15 p.m. – ABC, ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
What does it mean
Sports continue to be the main driver of linear television in the era of cord-cutting and cord-cutting. You can find the entire “Monday Football” program here.
The NFL has scheduled two games for Monday – New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers on ESPN at 7:15 PM ET and Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers at 8:15 PM ET on ABC. The following Monday features the Philadelphia Eagles at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 7:15 PM ET on ABC and the Los Angeles Rams at the Cincinnati Bengals at 8:15 PM on ESPN.
In short, ESPN gets the Monday start time this week and ABC gets it next week. The end result will be for the league and ESPN to get real-time viewer interest data for the start times of “Monday Night Football” doubleheaders.
Required reading
(Photo: Bill Streicher/USA Today)
