ABC Expands Simulcast as Viewers Leave Broadcast TV
By Movieguide® Contributor
Disney just added six MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAMES to their fall schedule to be simulcast on ABC.
This will bring ABC’s total NFL game broadcast to 17.
Aside from last weekend’s AFC East game between the Buffalo Bills and the New York Jets, “the other added games are Baltimore at Tampa Bay (Oct. 21), Tampa Bay at Kansas City (Nov. 4), Houston at Dallas (Nov. 18), Baltimore at Los Angeles Chargers (Nov. 25) and New Orleans at Green Bay (Dec. 23),” ABC reported.
Disney and ABC made a similar deal last year when the strikes occurred. However, “this year, the league and the media giant appear to have come to similar terms — even without a labor shortage causing concern. The NFL approved of the scheduling changes, which are only in effect for the current TV season,” Variety reported.
The reason for this year’s addition of six games is due to Disney’s “audiences leaving traditional broadcast and cable TV for streaming video. Sports programming seems to be the one category that continues to draw the large simultaneous crowds that both advertisers and distributors crave. The league has consistently encouraged its media partners to offer ideas about extending the reach of the games they broadcast, according to a person familiar with the NFL’s view.”
Disney has made an effort to bring more sports programs back onto ABC and it has proven to be successful.
“Super Bowl 61 from Los Angeles in 2027 will be on the network and the College Football Playoff championship game will also move to ABC the same year,” ABC10 confirmed.
“More games on ABC will also boost the ratings. Kansas City’s 26-13 victory over New Orleans on ESPN averaged 15.91 million, the fourth-most-watched Monday night game not simulcast on ABC,” the outlet continued. “However, the audience was down from the 17.38 million that viewed last season’s Week 5 game between Green Bay and Las Vegas.”