NEWSLETTER
Monday Night Football was once the must-see primetime football game of the week.
But the additions of Thursday Night Football and Sunday Night Football have taken some of the shine off the MNF apple. And because SNF has long been able to swap out less-than-desirable late-season TV matchups for better games, the NBC staple has essentially taken the top spot when it comes to the primetime night games.
But starting in 2023, MNF will get its chance to flex.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter has the scoop:
Starting in 2023, ESPN’s Monday Night Football finally will include flex scheduling from Weeks 14-18, and also will feature three Monday Night Football doubleheaders, per the NFL’s V.P. of broadcast scheduling, Mike North. That and more here:
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 16, 2022
Finally! And what a time for such a twist! Not to mention what a get for Schefter to break the news on his podcast. What fortuitous timing!
This has been a major offseason for ESPN’s NFL coverage. Remember, the network just threw a bunch of cash to keep Schefter as its lead news-breaker covering the league. And on the broadcasting front, keep in mind ESPN was able to successfully lure Joe Buck and Troy Aikman away from FOX. That duo will now spearhead ESPN’s MNF broadcast coverage, giving it a much-needed profile boost. And, soon enough, they’ll be getting an opportunity to call flexed games. The Worldwide Leader in Sports is racking up offseason dubs.
The potential for three MNF doubleheaders could be neat, too. But flex scheduling is the big win here. The ability to put your best games in front of the most eyes is huge. It is a nice perk compared to previous seasons where MNF broadcasts were stuck with whatever late-season schedule makers gave them back in spring. In other words, starting in 2023, we’ll be spared of seeing some rough games down the stretch. Instead, things are lining up for us to get premier games in primetime. The system finally works.
Hopefully, we’ll see the Bears as a team getting games moved onto Monday Night Football instead of being shipped off of primetime.
