Page "Monday Night Football" Paragraph 35

The opening sequence was set in a closed-studio setting, with Hank Williams Jr. ( in his 23rd year ) performing with a band in front of a live audience with large video screens in the background.

The end of the opening sequence has team logos of that night's participants transitioning into the new ESPN Monday Night Football logo before going to a live shot.

On October 3, 2011, ESPN pulled the theme song after Williams appeared on a Fox News Channel program, Fox & Friends, where he compared a golf outing involving Barack Obama, John Boehner, Joe Biden, and John Kasich to " Hitler playing golf with Netanyahu.

" On October 6, 2011, it was announced that Williams would no longer be singing the theme song, and that " All My Rowdy Friends " would no longer be used as its theme, as Williams still owns the song.

A statement from ESPN said that the network has " decided to part ways with Hank Williams Jr. We appreciate his contributions over the past years.

The success of Monday Night Football has always been about the games and that will continue.

" Williams commented on the matter: " After reading hundreds of e-mails, I have made my decision ... By pulling my opening October 3rd, stepped on the toes of the First Amendment Freedom of Speech, so therefore me, my song, and All My Rowdy Friends are out of here.

It ’ s been a great run.

" A First Amendment expert at law firm Baker Hostetler said ESPN is " a private company which does not have to use a tone-deaf politico to sing into its kickoffs.