ESPN, NFL Network Merge Pregame Shows

Monday Night Countdown, ESPN's longtime pregame show, is now shown on both ESPN and NFL Network, ending the era of two separate Monday Night Football pregame options. The move follows a deal that made ESPN the owner of NFL Media and the NFL a 10 percent owner of ESPN. tbzikra.com

While the merger saves production costs by combining shows into one, fans have fewer choices. The NFL Network pregame show has been eliminated, and concerns have been raised about potential loss of journalistic independence with the stronger ties between ESPN and the NFL.