Giants-Saints moved to MNF

[kleese]

ESPN reporting Saints and Giants moved to MNF. Their game will start at 7:30 est and be carried live on ABC UNTIL our game starts at 9:00 est.

At 9:00 the Giants game will move over to ESPN and ABC will carry the Redskins-Cowboys. The only people who might get jipped are Skins fans in NO and NY areas-- those stations will stay with regional coverage.

[Tom [Giants fan]]

The New Orleans Saints and New York Giants will play their rescheduled Week 2 game on Monday night, Sept. 19, at Giants Stadium, league sources have told ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

Kickoff will be 7:30 p.m. ET and will begin as an ABC national telecast before switching to regional status in the New York and New Orleans markets and also some Gulf Coast markets to accomodate the regularly scheduled Monday night game between the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys at 9 p.m. ET. ESPN will pick up the remainder of the Saints-Giants telecast at that time.

An announcement is expected later Monday, the sources said. The game between the Saints and Giants originally was scheduled for Sept. 18 at the Lousiana Superdome but was moved to the Giants' home in East Rutherford, N.J., last Friday because of the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina.

The New York Jets, who share the stadium with the Giants, are scheduled to play at home against Miami on Sept. 18.

NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said the Saints and Giants had agreed to donate part of the gate receipts from the game to the hurricane relief fund.

The Saints, who spent the past week on the West Coast, are moving their headquarters to San Antonio for the immediate future.

The Alamodome in San Antonio, which holds 65,000, had been considered a strong possibility for the game.

Tagliabue indicated, however, it was best to get the game out of the area struck by Hurricane Katrina. The Alamodome and other facilities in the San Antonio area, a little more than 500 miles from New Orleans, are being used to shelter hurricane victims.

Tagliabue said he made the decision to move the game to the Giants' home stadium after consulting with Saints owner Tom Benson and other officials.

"There are many reasons for this decision," Tagliabue said, "including recognizing that the overwhelming priority for public and private resources in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region in the weeks ahead must be the essential needs of the public and restoration of the area's infrastructure."

The Saints will open at Carolina on Sept. 11 before playing the Giants.

"Our main concern is with the people of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region who have experienced the recent tragedy," Benson said. "We are attempting to carry on in these difficult times and are looking out for the best interest of our coaches, staff, players and their families. My prayers are with each of those who have been adversely impacted."

The last game to be moved was two years ago, when wildfires in Southern California caused a game between Miami and San Diego to be moved from San Diego to Phoenix. Last season, the starting time of a game in Miami between the Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers was moved from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. to allow Hurricane Jeanne to move through south Florida.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2152519

[OVCChairman]

Thats about the stupidest thing i've ever heard. WTF are these guys thinking? Not to mention the fact that i'm sure these guys are going to want to get home to thier families and now they have to stay an extra day becuase they arent going to want to travel on a monday night after the game. That is stupid, and you might bring up the money issue, but i'm sure there are more people interested in the Skins/Boys game then the Saints/Giants game...

[Tom [Giants fan]]

I really don't see this intefering with the Skins/Cowboys game. Heck, I'll probably have two T.V's on with the Skins and Cowboys on one of them. I'm interested in seeing that game too. I'm glad they started it earlier because I'll get to watch the Skins/Cowboys in the second half when it will get interesting.

[kleese]

Yeah, this doesn't really affect Redskins fans at all unless you live in NY or NO areas-- and chances are that if you live in the New Orleans area, you aren't at home anyway.

I'm sure ABC will use the first hour and a half of the Saints game to raise some money, etc... and then they will switch over to our game at the regular time.

I actually like the idea-- I'd rather watch the Giants-Saints game for an an hour and a half than watch Monday Night Countdown.

[KingRex]

I actually like the idea-- I'd rather watch the Giants-Saints game for an an hour and a half than watch Monday Night Countdown.

Yep.

[kleese]

The only question now will be for those of you in the NY (or NO) viewing areas. ABC will stick with the Giants game in those markets, and I'm not sure if you'll have the option of watching the skins. That's the one unanswered question at this point. But for 95% of us, we'll get the skins game exactly as scheduled.

[laurent]

Am I alone thinking that the game being played in the Meadowlands is an absolute travesty? Let's forget about the fact that the Giants are getting another home game, what about the 26,000 fans that have no chance for a refund and even less of a chance to attend the games.

Granted, I'm sure a large percentage of those season ticket holders has other things to worry about right now, but I'm sure a few of them wouldn't mind the distraction, espescially considering that they paid for their season tickets.

[Kosher Ham]

I live in Charlotte and because the Saints are a division rival to the Panthers, I fear that I will not be able to get the Redskins Game.

This will truly upset me.

Why wouldnt they broadcast the Saints/Giants game on ESPN and schedule the Redskins/Cowboys on ABC ?

Must be the money.

[NoCalMike]

As long as this doesn't effect neutral cities. I mean I live in California, and I hope the guys in the studios don't think that because I live out here, that they will just stay with the Giants game until it is over. That would suck. As long as the Skins/'Boys coverage gets priority then I am fine with it.

[KingRex]

I live in Charlotte and because the Saints are a division rival to the Panthers, I fear that I will not be able to get the Redskins Game.

This will truly upset me.

Why wouldnt they broadcast the Saints/Giants game on ESPN and schedule the Redskins/Cowboys on ABC ?

Must be the money.

Isn't that game scheduled to be on ABC anyway?

At 9:00 the Giants game will move over to ESPN and ABC will carry the Redskins-Cowboys. The only people who might get jipped are Skins fans in NO and NY areas-- those stations will stay with regional coverage.

This doesn't make sense. It's MNF for God's sake!

[Kosher Ham]

Am I alone thinking that the game being played in the Meadowlands is an absolute travesty? Let's forget about the fact that the Giants are getting another home game, what about the 26,000 fans that have no chance for a refund and even less of a chance to attend the games.

Granted, I'm sure a large percentage of those season ticket holders has other things to worry about right now, but I'm sure a few of them wouldn't mind the distraction, espescially considering that they paid for their season tickets.

I read that the game was going to take profits and use them towards relief.

Seems to me that either a huge college stadium like Tennessee, or an NFL Stadium like FedEx would make the most sense.

Neutral grounds, and the biggest crowds.

[kleese]

I'm quite sure local affiliates have nothing to say about it. ABC will determine who gets which game, and that's that. The only areas that will get the Saints game on ABC after 9:00 est will be those areas designated by ABC as "regional" outlets for the Giants and Saints. I think NoCal is safe

[Kosher Ham]

Isn't that game scheduled to be on ABC anyway?



This doesn't make sense. It's MNF for God's sake!

Who knows. I have no idea what the local TV will do down here.

Last season the Redskins/Cowboys MNF Game was interrupted by a weather warning. Unreal.

[sydshobob]

Look here for all the reasons this is a stupid idea. Even Haslett agrees the Skins/Eagles/Cowboys should be pissed.

http://extremeskins.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112049