Football fans rejoice! ABC is expanding its “Monday Night Football” coverage, adding six more simulcasts of ESPN’s popular primetime games to its schedule. This brings the total number of games airing on ABC this season to 17, including 14 simulcasts with ESPN and three exclusive games the network announced.
This decision, made jointly by the NFL and The Walt Disney Company (which owns both ABC and ESPN), reflects the continued success of “Monday Night Football” and the growing demand for live sports on network television.
The newly added games include:
- Buffalo Bills at New York Jets (October 15)
- Baltimore Ravens at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (October 21)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Kansas City Chiefs (November 4)
- Houston Texans at Dallas Cowboys (November 18)
- Baltimore Ravens at Los Angeles Chargers (November 25)
- New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers (December 23)
This move builds on the success of last season, when ABC aired “Monday Night Football” games throughout the entire 18-week season due to the Hollywood strikes. The increased network television presence resulted in a 29% viewership increase for the franchise, averaging 17.36 million viewers across ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC.
The decision to expand simulcasts also aligns with Disney’s broader strategy of bringing more sports programming to ABC. The network will broadcast Super Bowl LXI in 2027 and the College Football Playoff championship game in the same year.
The upcoming Bills-Jets game, featuring a compelling quarterback duel between Josh Allen and Aaron Rodgers, is particularly noteworthy as it marks the Jets’ first game under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich after the firing of Robert Saleh. With increased exposure on ABC, this game is expected to draw a large audience.
By offering more “Monday Night Football” games on network television, ABC and ESPN aim to capitalize on the continued popularity of the NFL and provide fans with greater access to primetime action. This expanded partnership promises to deliver exciting football experiences to viewers throughout the remainder of the season.