With ABC's "MNF" ratings down 7% from last year to a
12.8/22 and "on pace to be the lowest ever," former ABC
Sports Senior VP and current N.Y.-based consultant Jim
Spence told BLOOMBERG NEWS' Rick Westhead, "ABC's definitely
disappointed." Spence: "It's revamped graphics, added [Exec
Producer] Don Ohlmeyer, and added Dennis Miller to boost
ratings, not see them drop again. They're feeling let down,
no matter what they say." But ABC Sports VP/Media Relations
Mark Mandel said that Miller "has people talking about the
program, which is what the network wanted." Mandel: "Dennis
was brought in to make 'Monday Night Football' special
again, and he has. He's the biggest story in the NFL this
season." Carat USA Dir of National Broadcasting Andy
Donchin said "there's no excuse" for the ratings drop.
Donchin: "They've hyped the broadcast crew, games have been
great. It has to be upsetting." Ohlmeyer, on the ratings:
"There is cause for concern. You'd like to go from being
the fifth-ranked show to the third, not fifth to sixth,
obviously. Everybody's looking for a simple answer."
Westhead added that a 30-second spot on "MNF" now costs
about $350,000, but "some analysts and advertising buyers"
said that ABC "may soon have to lower prices if ratings
don't recover." N.Y.-based Initiative Media North America
Exec VP Arthur Schreibman, on ad rates for "MNF": "When you
look at the viewers per thousand (dollars) you're getting,
it doesn't make a lot of sense." Analysts state that Miller
"is the most responsible for attracting" males aged 18-34 to
the broadcasts, up 5% from '99, making "MNF" the most-
watched prime time show for that demo (BLOOMBERG NEWS,
11/18). In Chicago, Ed Sherman writes that although "MNF"
began on a Labor Day and had two telecasts head-to-head with
the Sydney Games, those "obstacles should have been overcome
by a succession of excellent games. The ratings should be
up, not down. Miller, sometimes good, sometimes irrelevant,
isn't to blame. But for all the hype his hiring generated,
he hasn't given MNF the ratings bump it had hoped to
receive" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/20).
IS DAN THE MAN FOR ABC? In St. Louis, Dan Caesar wrote
that analyst Dan Fouts "has scored big in the 'MNF'
spotlight." Caesar: "Fouts has stepped up to a high level
as he adroitly both sets up Miller and plays off his barbs.
His smoothness in both describing the intricacies of a play
and playing the banter game in the booth has been a
highlight of the telecasts" (S.L. POST-DISPATCH, 11/18).
ZEBRA STRIPES: After weather analyst Jillian Barberie
offered her forecast for the Sunday's NFL games, Fox Sports'
Cris Collinsworth asked analyst Howie Long: "Jillian did a
nice job with the weather today, don't you think?" Long:
"Why are you telling me?" Collinsworth: "Just thought you
might want to say something nice about her for once. You
act like she's not even on the show" (Fox, 11/19).
WEEKEND WRAP-UP: USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke writes that
FSN's "NFL This Morning" cut "back on the mindless silliness
to deliver a solid football show" yesterday (USA TODAY,
11/20)....In Milwaukee, Bob Wolfley puts CBS' "NFL Today" in
his "Cold" column, as it "just isn't clicking." Wolfley:
"The show does not seem to have a clear, secure sense of
what it wants to do ever since it's inception three seasons
ago" (JOURNAL SENTINEL, 11/20)....In Seattle, Les Carpenter
wrote that the "occurrence" of a blackout being lifted for
all 15 NFL games two weeks ago "is more luck than a sign
that fans are flocking to the stadiums in all cities."
Carpenter: "For all the games to sell out, certain teams
must be on the road, including Seattle, Oakland, Arizona,
Cincinnati and Atlanta -- since all of these have had some
trouble selling seats" (SEATTLE TIMES, 11/17).
