50th Anniversary on 9/28/20

[Corvus Corax]

September 21, 2020 is the fiftieth anniversary of the premiere of Monday Night Football on ABC television. Cleveland Browns defeated New York Jets 31-21. One week later, on September 28, 1970, defending Super Bowl champs Kansas City Chiefs came to Baltimore for the second MNF game. Despite the 44-24 loss to KC, the game featured the Super Bowl IV and eventual Super V champs. It is ironic that on this upcoming Monday, after 50 years to the day, that the Chiefs return to Baltimore once again as defending champs.

Who says that history doesn’t repeat itself? What if the Ravens (as did the Baltimore Colts) go on to capture the next Super Bowl (named by KC owner and founder of the AFL, Lamar Hunt)?

I’ll be shocked if ESPN doesn’t acknowledge the anniversary date.

Back in 1970, it was a unique experience to witness MNF in prime time. The NFL emerged as something that transcended sports itself. With Ed Sabol’s NFL Films as the catalyst, pro football became a major part of American culture - numerous inferences in movies and television shows which even people outside of sports came to recognize.

It was a very big deal for NFL fans to have both their team and their city featured on Monday night. There were only three networks and ABC’s viewer ratings catapulted. Art Modell was a principle player in getting lucrative TV contracts signed with the NFL (the reason the first MNF game was played in Cleveland). He belongs in the HOF!

CCx

[HanktheRIPPER]

Sweet...

[GOTA]

The guys were wearing the throwback yellow jackets. They definitely celebrated that anniversary

[xiao_ke]

[Jam31]

September 21, 2020 is the fiftieth anniversary of the premiere of Monday Night Football on ABC television. Cleveland Browns defeated New York Jets 31-21. One week later, on September 28, 1970, defending Super Bowl champs Kansas City Chiefs came to Baltimore for the second MNF game. Despite the 44-24 loss to KC, the game featured the Super Bowl IV and eventual Super V champs. It is ironic that on this upcoming Monday, after 50 years to the day, that the Chiefs return to Baltimore once again as defending champs.

Who says that history doesn’t repeat itself? What if the Ravens (as did the Baltimore Colts) go on to capture the next Super Bowl (named by KC owner and founder of the AFL, Lamar Hunt)?

I’ll be shocked if ESPN doesn’t acknowledge the anniversary date.

Back in 1970, it was a unique experience to witness MNF in prime time. The NFL emerged as something that transcended sports itself. With Ed Sabol’s NFL Films as the catalyst, pro football became a major part of American culture - numerous inferences in movies and television shows which even people outside of sports came to recognize.

It was a very big deal for NFL fans to have both their team and their city featured on Monday night. There were only three networks and ABC’s viewer ratings catapulted. Art Modell was a principle player in getting lucrative TV contracts signed with the NFL (the reason the first MNF game was played in Cleveland). He belongs in the HOF!

CCx

Thanks for the history lesson, Corvus!

[Corvus Corax]

Thanks for the acknowledgments.