Date: 21st December 2000

MNF Preoducer May Not Pick Up Ball


Having failed to reverse the downward spiral of ratings for ABC's Monday Night Football, veteran broadcasting exec Don Ohlmeyer may not return again next year as producer, according to USA Today.

Ohlmeyer was brought out of retirement this year (after serving as NBC's West Coast president) to oversee the game telecasts and is regarded as being largely responsible for the controversial decision to bring comedian Dennis Leary into the broadcast booth for the games.

Although some NBC staffers told the newspaper that Ohlmeyer has told them that he is considering leaving after this season, Ohlmeyer himself told USA Today: "When the season's over, I'm going to sit down and think about the future. Part of the job is to prepare these people if I get hit by a bus someday."

Source: Studio Briefing