• April 19, 2005

The NFL Monday announced new, long-term TV rights package that put NBC back on the field and moves long-running ABC franchise "Monday Night Football" to sister cable network ESPN. The deal could represent a reordering of the network TV marketplace, as NFL coverage is credited with helping to put Fox into the big leagues and assisting in CBS' turnaround. Fox and CBS renewed their Sunday afternoon game coverage in November, but the new agreements leave ABC off the gridiron for the first time in 36 years. The new rights deal with ESPN, estimated at $1.1 billion, covers eight seasons of "Monday Night Football" from 2006-2013 and includes an earlier kickoff time - 8:40 p.m. ET - for 17 Monday night games per season. ESPN will continue to make its NFL games available on free, over-the-air television in the participating team markets each week. The agreement with NBC, valued at $600 million, covers six seasons from 2006 through 2011 for an annual package of 17 regular-season games consisting of 16 Sunday night games and the Thursday night season-opener, two playoff games on Wild Card Weekend, and three prime-time pre-season games. -- J.M.