“Monday Night Football” might not be at ESPN forever.
The Hollywood Reporter indicated Monday morning that there are several reasons why the sports network might abandon MNF.
They reported the following in part:
First, quietly, ESPN has been able to pull off a dramatic judo move in recent agreements with its affiliates, one whose importance cannot be overstated: There is no longer specific contract language that requires the cable giant to have NFL games in order to earn its lofty (and industry-envied) subscriber fees, currently more than $7 per household. This means the network would not face automatic decreases in that vital artery of its dual revenue stream. Sure, distributors would be aghast, demanding to negotiate lower fees probably immediately, but the point is, there would be negotiations, enabling ESPN to do everything it could to keep those numbers as high as possible.
THR also noted that a decline in ratings since 2015, a high price tag of more than $15 billion and much more are reasons ESPN might decide to cut and run.
Is there anything better than watching ESPN’s downward spiral continue? The network got in hot water for pulling Bob Lee from a broadcast because he shares a name with a confederate general, they are expecting more layoffs and now they might not keep “Monday Night Football.” I don’t think anybody would have believed the downfall we’re seeing from ESPN if they were told about it in the mid-2000s.
There was once a time where the idea of ESPN failing at all was borderline unimaginable. Now it seems not only possible, but likely. The network won’t ever fail to exist, but the glory days of ESPN might be in the past.
If they do lose MFN, it’ll just be the latest domino to fall.
WATCH ‘THE DAILY MARKOTA’ FOR SOME MORE INSIGHT INTO WHY ESPN MAY LOSE MNF