NFL scrapped dual MNF games after concluding "fans felt like they were conflicted to choose"
For the last few seasons, the NFL has had several instances of broadcasting two Monday Night Football games on ABC and ESPN at the same time as part of the broadcast deal that increased Disney's total number of games per season. But with the league's deal to sell Disney control of NFL Network, those dual-MNF Mondays are now a thing of the past. EVP and COO of NFL Media, Hans Schroeder, admitted during a Tuesday press conference that the league and Disney miscalculated fan interest in simultaneous Monday night games.
"This speaks to another theme of how we’re always talking to our partners," Schroeder said. "One of the things we realized with Disney collectively, when we did the deal five years ago, we thought adding two games on Monday night would be a great thing for fans. It was more free football that was outside of a Sunday afternoon.
And I think we collectively struggled and realized fans felt like they were conflicted to choose between those games. "And so, as we worked through that and part of that transaction related to the sale of NFL Network, one of the things that surfaced was there’s a better way for us to deploy those four games. " At this point, Schroeder said the league has five total games that have yet to be assigned and distributed for the 2026 season.
There could be any number of ways the NFL could assign those games, with streamers as well as traditional broadcast platforms in play. Schroeder mentioned the night before Thanksgiving — “Thanksgiving Eve” — as one option. “And that’s the best part, we can look at the numbers, we can look at the metrics, and our fans will speak to us,” Schroeder said.
“So, we’re going to continue to look at those other windows throughout the year on top of maybe those other windows or maybe late-season Saturdays and see how the market comes back to us as well, with what we think the best possible way to deploy those games are. We think it’ll be an exciting way, an exciting addition to the 2026 schedule. ” Schroeder said the league expects to have those games assigned in time for the schedule release, which traditionally happens in May.