The last sports event to officially be televised under the ABC Sports brand was the 2006 Little League World Series Championship Game. It was suppose to be the LLWS World Championship Game, but a rain out forced it be broadcast on ESPN2 the following day. So it was extremely anti-climatic. ABC Sports will never improve as long as Disney, Bob Iger and George Bodenheimer are in the way.
In many ways ESPN ruined ABC after they were both under the same umbrella:
* ESPN's massive sports coverage (including SportsCenter), along with the internet, have essentially killed the sports anthology (Wide World of Sports).
* ESPN's NFL Primetime (which debuted in 1987) killed Monday Night Football's Halftime Highlights show. MNF couldn't recover until Tim McGraw came along.
* ABC's graphics went low-budget in the late 1980s; during that time, SportsCenter had a crappy theme song.
I'm starting to think that it is ABC's fault that their sports division is run by ESPN.If you see what they have done recently,they have lost the NHL,MLB in the 90s,and the most recent,Monday Night Football.Then they allow ESPN to take over their division and since all these losses,ABC had NOT attempted to stop the REAL failure of their sports division.Correct me if i'm wrong,but i think all ABC cares about is their shows and the news.They want all of sports TV to head to cable ASAP.
I think I agree with you. ABC Sports used to be king when it came to sports TV. Now I think CBS Sports is the true dominant division on the networks. It's a shame that ABC didn't try and save its separate sports division and had to let ESPN step in and take over. It will never be the same.
@faysal21adigun You maybe right about the shows and news part because ABC gave up their coverge of the Chase for Sprint Cup Sunday Races to ESPN in order for ABC to air extended political news coverege on Sunday mornings.
What right did ESPN have to take over ABC Sports? What Mickey Mouse-type organization came up with that screwball idea?
Just because they were both owned by the same company doesn't mean they should take away anything. ABC Sports and ESPN should still be in peace together, but not in a takeover.
"Mickey Mouse-type organization" would actually be a good description, because it was the Walt Disney Company (which owns both ESPN and ABC) that came up with the "screwball idea".
The recent passing of Jim McKay to me, gives much more reverence to this issue. ESPN and to a lesser extent, FOX have ruined sportscasting in the long run. The mysteriousnes, and sense of class and romanticism has been severely dullited. Now, everything has to be about "look at me" and confrontation. I wonder what Mr. McKay (who was still alive when ESPN/Disney began their take over) would think of ABC Sports being eaten up and shallowed by the self-proclaimed "World Wide Leader".
"Well, ladies and gentlemen, we have seen the agony of defeat. ABC Sports has conceded to ESPN. I'm sure Howard Cosell is doing backflips in his grave. The end is here, and I'm not going to put up with it. [gets handed a pink slip] This is Jim McKay signing off forever. I've just been fired." (hands his mic to Chris Berman and stomps off, breathing profanities to himself)
ESPN itself, started going downhill when it became more about their personalities and sensationalism. It in a way, sickness me that ABC Sports has degenerated from the likes of Jim McKay, Howard Cosell, Al Michaels, Keith Jackson & Chris Schnekel to Chris Berman, Stuart Scott, Stephen A. Smith, Skip Bayless, and I can just go on and on.
So the last football game produced by ABC was Super Bowl 40 in Detroit, last college was that USC-Texas Rose Bowl, right?
So what was the last sports event televised by ABC, was it the 2006 World Cup Final?
Knightmessenger 2 years ago
@Knightmessenger
The last sports event to officially be televised under the ABC Sports brand was the 2006 Little League World Series Championship Game. It was suppose to be the LLWS World Championship Game, but a rain out forced it be broadcast on ESPN2 the following day. So it was extremely anti-climatic. ABC Sports will never improve as long as Disney, Bob Iger and George Bodenheimer are in the way.
TMC1982Part2 1 year ago
Why is the logo for A.B.C.;s coverage of the 1972 Summer Olympics at Munich sideways?
vividwatch47 2 years ago
That's the way that I found it online, so your guess is as good as mine.
TMC1982Part2 2 years ago
ABC Sports>>>>ESPN on ABC, good job, TMC1982Part2 for putting this up...what a great way to show your respect to the ABC Sports legacy.
thatdudecozz89 3 years ago
In many ways ESPN ruined ABC after they were both under the same umbrella:
* ESPN's massive sports coverage (including SportsCenter), along with the internet, have essentially killed the sports anthology (Wide World of Sports).
* ESPN's NFL Primetime (which debuted in 1987) killed Monday Night Football's Halftime Highlights show. MNF couldn't recover until Tim McGraw came along.
* ABC's graphics went low-budget in the late 1980s; during that time, SportsCenter had a crappy theme song.
Airborn365 3 years ago
I'm starting to think that it is ABC's fault that their sports division is run by ESPN.If you see what they have done recently,they have lost the NHL,MLB in the 90s,and the most recent,Monday Night Football.Then they allow ESPN to take over their division and since all these losses,ABC had NOT attempted to stop the REAL failure of their sports division.Correct me if i'm wrong,but i think all ABC cares about is their shows and the news.They want all of sports TV to head to cable ASAP.
faysal21adigun 3 years ago
I think I agree with you. ABC Sports used to be king when it came to sports TV. Now I think CBS Sports is the true dominant division on the networks. It's a shame that ABC didn't try and save its separate sports division and had to let ESPN step in and take over. It will never be the same.
odiedude 3 years ago
@faysal21adigun You maybe right about the shows and news part because ABC gave up their coverge of the Chase for Sprint Cup Sunday Races to ESPN in order for ABC to air extended political news coverege on Sunday mornings.
HTFFuturamaFan 1 year ago
Ahh, ABC Sports. Once the standard in televised sports. Now...non-existent. Killed by an over hyped giant. :-(
dcbandnerd 3 years ago
What right did ESPN have to take over ABC Sports? What Mickey Mouse-type organization came up with that screwball idea?
Just because they were both owned by the same company doesn't mean they should take away anything. ABC Sports and ESPN should still be in peace together, but not in a takeover.
palmercomm 3 years ago
"Mickey Mouse-type organization" would actually be a good description, because it was the Walt Disney Company (which owns both ESPN and ABC) that came up with the "screwball idea".
IllinoisHighwayMan 3 years ago
The recent passing of Jim McKay to me, gives much more reverence to this issue. ESPN and to a lesser extent, FOX have ruined sportscasting in the long run. The mysteriousnes, and sense of class and romanticism has been severely dullited. Now, everything has to be about "look at me" and confrontation. I wonder what Mr. McKay (who was still alive when ESPN/Disney began their take over) would think of ABC Sports being eaten up and shallowed by the self-proclaimed "World Wide Leader".
TMC1982Part2 3 years ago
I can hear it now:
"Well, ladies and gentlemen, we have seen the agony of defeat. ABC Sports has conceded to ESPN. I'm sure Howard Cosell is doing backflips in his grave. The end is here, and I'm not going to put up with it. [gets handed a pink slip] This is Jim McKay signing off forever. I've just been fired." (hands his mic to Chris Berman and stomps off, breathing profanities to himself)
palmercomm 3 years ago
ESPN itself, started going downhill when it became more about their personalities and sensationalism. It in a way, sickness me that ABC Sports has degenerated from the likes of Jim McKay, Howard Cosell, Al Michaels, Keith Jackson & Chris Schnekel to Chris Berman, Stuart Scott, Stephen A. Smith, Skip Bayless, and I can just go on and on.
TMC1982Part2 3 years ago
RIP ABC SPORTS 1961-2006
ericcollins81 4 years ago 2
What great memories, ABC sports will always live on even though it's now ESPN on ABC. :-)
railfan955 4 years ago