Monday Night Football began
Monday Night Football (MNF) is a significant television program that debuted as a collaboration between NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle and ABC executive Roone Arledge. Launched with the vision of integrating football into a diverse Monday night lineup, MNF evolved into a cultural phenomenon that transcended typical sports broadcasting. The show's initial broadcast team included Keith Jackson, Don Meredith, and Howard Cosell, whose dynamic interactions captivated audiences, contributing to the program's appeal. Innovations such as slow-motion replays and engaging camera work set new standards for sports telecasting. Despite internal tensions among the broadcasters, particularly involving Cosell's contentious style, MNF gained a substantial fanbase, influencing how sporting events are presented on television. The program also impacted American culture, with bars hosting themed events and politicians avoiding Monday night engagements to respect fans' loyalties. Over time, Monday Night Football not only transformed sports broadcasting but also elevated sports commentators to celebrity status.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Monday Night Football began
Identification Television broadcasts of prime-time professional football games
Monday Night Football increased the popularity of the National Football League (NFL) and became a cultural phenomenon.
Date Began airing in September, 1970
Monday Night Football was the brainchild of Pete Rozelle, NFL commissioner, and Roone Arledge, an executive of the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) television network. Arledge envisioned football as part of a year-round schedule of Monday night television events that would include professional basketball, films, and family-oriented variety shows. Long after other programs fell by the wayside, Monday Night Football moved beyond sports programming to the status of cultural phenomenon.
The first broadcast team consisted of Keith Jackson, Don Meredith, and Howard Cosell. The banter between Meredith, who was folksy and spontaneous, and Cosell, who was bombastic and sardonic, sparked as much viewer interest as the games themselves. Jackson languished, despite the fact that he was the only team member with previous football broadcasting experience. Jackson was replaced by Frank Gifford, who would work the Monday night games from 1971 to 1998.
Along with the personalities in the booth, the camera work and onscreen graphics introduced on Monday Night Football set a high standard for other sports broadcasts; for example, slow-motion replays first appeared on Monday Night Football. According to some accounts, however, the drive for flawless video production took a heavy toll on the technical crew, who were worn down by the demands of capturing every detail of the games.
As the broadcasters gained in fame, their relationship with the football fans became a major ingredient of the Monday night spectacles. Cosell in particular delighted in goading fan hatred with his venomous criticism of popular players. As the 1970’s went on, the fans at every game would brandish anti-Cosell posters. Cosell read all the hate mail, baited his detractors, and thoroughly enjoyed his role as the most despised person on television. Even halftime shows were not immune from Cosell’s acid tongue. During a New Orleans Saints game, he launched into a lengthy diatribe questioning the reenactment of the 1814 Battle of New Orleans on the field and blasting it as an inappropriate promotion of militarism.
Although the banter among Gifford, Meredith, and Cosell kept fans watching, the tension in the booth grew with each game. Gifford disliked the razzle-dazzle camera techniques and playing straight man to the Cosell-Meredith comic feud. Meredith felt inadequate and left the team in 1974 but returned in 1977. Cosell never learned much about football and, as time went on, made frequent mistakes that disrupted his partners.
Impact
Despite the internal feuds, the popularity of Monday Night Football grew steadily. A long list of officials and celebrities lined up for the opportunity to be interviewed at halftime on Monday night. Bars developed elaborate activities to lure in customers to watch the games. American presidents were reluctant to schedule speeches or press conferences on Monday nights during football season for fear of angering millions of fans. Through a combination of luck, timing, and innovation, Monday Night Football became a sports phenomenon. Ultimately, it led to major changes in the way in which sporting events were broadcast and helped make sports commentators major celebrities.
Bibliography
Arledge, Roone. Roone. New York: HarperCollins, 2003.
Gunther, Mark. Monday Night Mayhem. New York: HarperCollins, 1988.