Monday Night Football

Monday Night Football is a television broadcast of one of the premier National Football League games of the week. It airs live on the ABC television network in the United States on Monday nights during the NFL season, and is one of the most popular shows on American television, particularly among men. Monday Night Football (often informally abbreviated as MNF) is currently the second-longest-running prime time show on American television, after CBS's 60 Minutes.

The show as entertainment

Monday Night Football has continued to provide as much entertainment as sports throughout its run. In addition to the extra cameras, the show has also pioneered technological broadcast innovations, such as the use of enhanced slow motion replays and computerized graphics, such as a first down marker superimposed onto the field during play.

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Celebrity guests, such as Plácido Domingo, John Lennon, President Bill Clinton, and even Kermit the Frog were often featured during the game to "liven up" the broadcast. However, the late 1990s and early 2000s saw an even more increased reliance on the entertainment factor. Some halftime shows, featuring popular music stars, were broadcast in full rather than being ignored in favor of analysis of the game by the commentators, as in previous seasons. Country music star Hank Williams, Jr. (who sang the memorable catchprase "Are you ready for some football?") composed a music video?style opening theme for the show (a later theme was provided by Kid Rock).

Related Topics:
Plácido Domingo - John Lennon - Bill Clinton - Kermit the Frog - 1990s - 2000s - Hank Williams, Jr. - Music video - Kid Rock

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Before Hank Williams, Jr.; Edd Kalehoff revamped the "Heavy Action" theme song in 1989.

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The program's affiliation with ABC has also resulted in numerous promotional crossovers between MNF and other ABC programs. Casts of various ABC series such as Alias often appeared in specially produced skits made to introduce various broadcasts (often ending with the stars asking "Are you ready for some football?").

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Yet at the heart of the program is the game itself, and the "game" has produced dramatic moments that rival that of any scripted television program. For example, Joe Montana tossing a game winning touchdown to the right front corner of the end zone playing his last years with the Kansas City Chiefs. Or even greater, Green Bay Packer quarterback Brett Favre's heart felt performance on December 22, 2003, a day after the untimely death of his father from a heart attack. Favre led the Packers to a 41-7 victory over the Oakland Raiders passing for 399 yards and 4 touchdowns. Favre, already one of the games all-time greats, that night became a legend in front of a national television audience on Monday Night Football. These moments remain indicative of the essence of Monday Night Football as a television product and further as a significant piece of the national entertainment fabric and sports culture; entertainment and cultural impact only Roone Arledge foresaw.

Related Topics:
Joe Montana - Kansas City Chiefs - Green Bay Packer - Brett Favre - December 22 - 2003 - Heart attack - Oakland Raiders

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