ABC sports to be renamed "ESPN on ABC."

[Vince2003]

Sad to see this wonderful empire like ABC Sports go but with MNF the BCS and golf gone from abc the downfall was inevitable.

The network sports division that had MNF NCAA Football Olympics etc,along with announcers Keith Jackson/Jim Mckay(he is technically retired although he still works for ABC as a commentator a few times a year)Bill Flemming/Howard Cosell/Frank Gifford/Jim Lampley/Lee Grosscup/Frank Broyles/Don Meredith/Chris Schenkel/Dave Diles/Ara Parseghian/Dick Button/Peggy Flemming/Al Michaels and many others will soon be taken over and be swallowed up by a cable giant.

Ill bet somewhere in the afterlife Cosell/Arledge and Schenkel must be feeling sad.

[Vince2003]

As mentioned before a sad time in sports tv as a one time leader in sports tv becomes a part of the big espn empire all together.

And I agree affiliates arent happy about promoting a cable giant.

Also I would imagine some sports leagues/events etc that ABC or espn doesnt own the rights too might take offense and TAKE possible legal action  against the mouse for promoting and putting on events on a network that doesnt own the rights to them.

Example:the british open over the air coverage is on ABC but cable coverage is on tnt not espn.Promoting the british open as an espn event when it really isnt is probably going to get some eyebrows raised

stay tuned this will be interesting

[stdjsb25]

ABC seems to be doing a lot to the legacy of Roone Arledge....first the loss of Monday Night Football, then the change of World News Tonight to a simple "World News", and now the end of the "ABC Sports" Name.

[Ken]

"ESPN on ABC" is a bad idea.  It's a branding nightmare and I'm sure the ABC affiliates aren't happy that their airwaves are being used to so directly promote a cable network that draws an increasingly large audience away from them.

Don't forget both ABC and ESPN are owned by Mickey Mouse so all the cash is going to the same place. But to tell your watching ESPN but not on cable ESPN, ABC will leave its logo up for viewers so we will know the difference. If no ABC logo you couldn't tell if you had ESPN on ABC or ESPN Cable on.

To the last post above mine, with all the name changes at ABC and all might a new logo be in the works to. I would like to see a new one the "round low case "abc" font could be different. Would anyone else like to see a logo change for ABC?

[EnbyCee]

"ESPN on ABC" is a bad idea.  It's a branding nightmare and I'm sure the ABC affiliates aren't happy that their airwaves are being used to so directly promote a cable network that draws an increasingly large audience away from them.

Don't forget both ABC and ESPN are owned by Mickey Mouse so all the cash is going to the same place. But to tell your watching ESPN but not on cable ESPN, ABC will leave its logo up for viewers so we will know the difference. If no ABC logo you couldn't tell if you had ESPN on ABC or ESPN Cable on.

To the last post above mine, with all the name changes at ABC and all might a new logo be in the works to. I would like to see a new one the "round low case "abc" font could be different. Would anyone else like to see a logo change for ABC?

No. Stick with some vestige of tradition.

[Buddy Hayes]

"ESPN on ABC" is a bad idea.  It's a branding nightmare and I'm sure the ABC affiliates aren't happy that their airwaves are being used to so directly promote a cable network that draws an increasingly large audience away from them.

Don't forget both ABC and ESPN are owned by Mickey Mouse so all the cash is going to the same place. But to tell your watching ESPN but not on cable ESPN, ABC will leave its logo up for viewers so we will know the difference. If no ABC logo you couldn't tell if you had ESPN on ABC or ESPN Cable on.

To the last post above mine, with all the name changes at ABC and all might a new logo be in the works to. I would like to see a new one the "round low case "abc" font could be different. Would anyone else like to see a logo change for ABC?

ABC Sports did experiment with a new logo sometime in the late 80s. The "ABC" was in a heavy uppercase font. It didn't last long.

[ixnay]

To the last post above mine, with all the name changes at ABC and all might a new logo be in the works to. I would like to see a new one the "round low case "abc" font could be different. Would anyone else like to see a logo change for ABC?

No.

[Baldecki]

I have to say I think it is a horrible idea. ESPN.COM had a page showing what it would be like. Basically its like watching ESPN. Everything will be the same. Same Graphics and all. THEY WILL EVEN HAVE THE ESPN BOTTOM LINE! The only different thing is the ABC logo will be up where it always is. Personally a better idea for ABC was keep the name ABC Sports. But instead of the motto "ABC Sports Championship Television" change it to "ABC Sports Powered By ESPN" or something along those lines. I think it would be a better idea. Cause ABC Sports has been around for awhile and I think its a bad idea.

[Morgan Wick]

Golf?
ESPN and ABC (with maybe one exception the British open)golf coverage are gone after this year and so to is NBCs and USAs golf coverage , its all going to cable's THE GOLF CHANNEL if memory serves me correctly

CBS and NBC will still have golf. So, I believe, will ESPN. Don't know about USA.

The PGA would be insane to move ALL golf to the Golf Channel. TGC is near-exclusive host for the Champions and Nationwide tours, and will get more regular PGA action, but this is overstating it a LITTLE.