Since 1970, ABC's Monday Night Football has been the weekly prime-time television (see entry under 1940s—TV and Radio in volume 3) showcase for the National Football League (NFL; see entry under 1920s—Sports and Games in volume 2). The telecast has created controversy, fostered technical innovations, and consistently been one of the most-watched shows in prime time.

Monday Night Football debuted on September 21, 1970, with a game between the New York Jets and the Cleveland Browns. Keith Jackson (1928–) provided the play-by-play, with color commentary (background information and stories) from Don Meredith (1938–) and Howard Cosell (1918–1995). Ex-Giants great Frank Gifford (1930–) replaced Jackson in 1971 and it was this team of colorful broadcasters that helped create a media "buzz" that turned the prime-time football experiment into a ratings smash.

Monday Night Football became successful for many reasons. The NFL tried to make sure that only the best teams and most heated...