Madden Hops Over to NBC

[TexasTerror]

The changes in the NFL and how it's televised continue. According to this AP article, John Madden is picking up his bags and leaving for NBC's Sunday night football once they get that in 2006. MNF as we know it will be no more as ESPN will get it and Sunday night will now become the premier game on the television schedule.

This makes things easier for ESPN, now with Madden gone and them having to find places or making decisions on their broadcast teams from Sunday and Monday with just the Monday night game left. Now, where does Al Michaels go?

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NEW YORK -- John Madden will join NBC as a game analyst when the network begins televising its newly acquired Sunday night football package in 2006.

The network scheduled an afternoon teleconference with Madden to make the announcement. Madden will remain with ABC's "Monday Night Football" for the 2005 season.

"John Madden is the best analyst in the history of the National Football League and, in my opinion, the best analyst of any kind in sports television history,"' said Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports & Olympics. "John is much more than a football legend, he's an American icon."

Madden has spent the past three seasons teamed with Al Michaels on ABC's "Monday Night Football."

[eaglefan452]

That is a shame that Madden and Michaels aren't going to be on MNF anymore. They were a good team. Did I hear correctly that there won't be Monday Night Football on any channel? Or just not on ABC anymore? That would really suck.
And the question about where does Al Michaels go, anywhere he damn well wants is probably a good answer, he is probably the best play-by-play man out there. Joe Buck is getting really good, but he still has a few years before he can take that torch from Michaels.

[TexasTerror]

MNF will be on ESPN. Here's my explanation...

Sunday nights are the biggest night on TV. Highest ratings. MNF is not cutting it ratings-wise anymore and has gone crashing. NFL wants to make Sunday night the premiere night to show off their product. ABC/ESPN wanted to do what it could to retain the MNF package which is their bread and butter, so they found another way to do it.

ABC has built a strong Sunday lineup for once (Desperate Housewives, etc) to the point KTRK-TV in Houston will not even show the ESPN games as they are supposed to when the Texans play on ESPN due to an "over-the-air" agreement with the NFL where all games have to be televised on broadcast (though can be blacked out due to attendance issues). Those games will be on KPRC-TV, the Houston NBC affiliate. This is what has always made the NFL smart as it comes to television.

[TheValleyRaider]

I'm pretty sure it was said when this new TV contract first came out the MNF would move to ESPN. If that's the case, I would expect Al Micheal's to move with it, given that he has a history with MNF and ABC (ESPN's owner). Of course, it's also possible he may not do Football at all anymore, or even switch to college, maybe?

(cue dream sequence)

"Good evening everyone, welcome to the 2005 I-AA Championship Game here in beautiful Chattanooga, Tennessee. This is Al Micheals alongside...

(end dream sequence)

[TexasTerror]

NBC says they will pursue Al Michaels after the NBA Finals. I am not sure we'll see that occur. If Michaels does not bite, Marvelous Marv will team with Madden. Gah! I'm not buying Madden 2007 if I have to hear Marvelous!

[Ivytalk]

Marvelous Marv? YESSSSS!!!!

[eaglefan452]

NBC says they will pursue Al Michaels after the NBA Finals. I am not sure we'll see that occur. If Michaels does not bite, Marvelous Marv will team with Madden. Gah! I'm not buying Madden 2007 if I have to hear Marvelous!

Marv Albert doing football? Has he ever done football before?

[TexasTerror]

Marv Albert doing football? Has he ever done football before?

Of course. He's been doing football most recently on Westwood One's cover of MNF on the radio with Boomer Esaison.

According to his bio, "Albert has also worked for NBC Sports for over 20 years, serving as primary play-by-play voice for the NBA on NBC, along with play-by-play announcing for, NFL football, college basketball, boxing, NHL all-star games, baseball studio and pre-game shows."