By Gabriel Spitzer

   After just a year at the helm, Don Ohlmeyer announced yesterday that he will not return next season as producer of ABC’s "Monday Night Football."
   Ohlmeyer had been given wide-ranging freedom to reshape the ailing program—his most notable move being the hiring of Dennis Miller as full-time commentator. While many have criticized Miller’s hire, it turns out that he will outlast his boss at MNF.
   Ohlmeyer cited personal reasons for his departure.
    "I had a terrific time this year producing MNF, but I just could not continue to put myself through the stressful traveling that goes with the job. The 22-week season is too grueling and I just decided I'd had enough of the travel," Ohlmeyer said in a statement.
    There had been whispers since at least December that Ohlmeyer might be departing after the 2000 season, but it took until yesterday to make it official.
    The 56-year-old Ohlmeyer did not hint at what his next professional move might be, and ABC has yet to disclose his replacement.
    Ohlmeyer produced "Monday Night Football" during its heyday, from 1972 to 1977. When he returned in 1999, he found a significantly different operation awaiting him.
   "Monday Night Football" had just come off two years of record-low ratings. Normal fragmentation and less-than-riveting play on the field were blamed for the ratings shortfalls.
    Ohlmeyer was brought back in to shake things up, which he certainly did, though the show failed to improve in the numbers. The 2000 season dug a new basement, marking the sixth straight year of declining ratings for the program.
    "Monday Night Football" averaged a 12.7 rating in 2000, seven percent lower than the previous year. It was also down six percent to a 7.9 rating among viewers 18-49.
    A bit more encouraging for ABC was a slight uptick, from 7.0 to 7.1, in ratings among viewers 18-34, fueled by a seven percent increase in men 18-34. The network attributes that gain at least partially to Miller’s on-air funny business.
    ABC is quick to point out some extenuating circumstances, including several nights up against NBC’s Olympic coverage and two telecasts on holidays. "Monday Night Football" remains among the top-10 network programs in total viewers, adults 18-34, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54.
    In addition to installing Miller in the broadcast booth, Ohlmeyer also hired analyst Dan Fouts and recruited ex-football-star Eric Dickerson and ESPN’s Melissa Stark to report on the sidelines.
    ABC announced earlier this year that they would stick with the same team for 2001.
    ABC Sports president Howard Katz expressed confidence that Ohlmeyer is leaving "Monday Night Football" a better property than he found it.
     "Don has made an indelible imprint on ‘Monday Night Football.’ The sweeping changes he made in the telecast this past year all made ‘Monday Night Football’ a much more enjoyable, entertaining and watchable telecast. Without question, he brought the buzz back to Monday night and made it special again. I owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for that," said Katz’s statement.
    After leaving ABC in 1977, Ohlmeyer was hired as executive producer of sports at NBC. In 1993 he began a seven-year stint as president of NBC West Coast, where he presided over the network’s rise from third to first in network primetime. He is credited with launching such blockbuster NBC staples as "Friends," "ER," "Late Night with Conan O’Brien," "Frasier" and "Will and Grace."
    He retired from NBC in 1999, to return to ABC Sports a year later. All in all, Ohlmeyer’s career in sports and entertainment production spans 34 years, during which he has received 16 Emmys and two Peabody Awards.
    ABC has made clear that it intends to continue along the path charted by Ohlmeyer.
    "I feel very good about what we achieved this year," said Ohlmeyer’s statement.
     "People are talking about MNF again. The changes we made this year have been very well received by the viewers, and I am very pleased that the template is set for the future. There is a terrific team in place to continue what we started this year."

-Gabriel Spitzer is a staff writer for Media Life.

© 2001 Media Life