Roone Arledge, the man responsible for bringing the world Monday Night Football is finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Arledge was amongst 24 seniors, coaches and contributors selected as finalists for the Hall’s 2023 class.
Arledge revolutionized how sports television was seen in the United States. He created ABC’s Wide World of Sports in 1961 and at the age of 29 was given the reigns to ABC’s NCAA football broadcasts where he introduced innovations like slow-motion, instant replays, hand-held cameras and on-field microphones.
In 1970, he insisted that networks get to approve of their sports commentators and not the leagues. With that, Arledge hired Howard Cosell to team with Don Meredith and Frank Gifford for Monday Night Football.
“Few — if any — individuals outside the NFL family had as large an impact on the popularity and public acceptance of pro football then Roone Arledge,” NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said.
Arledge passed away in December of 2002.
Final members will be announced in early 2023.
