Fans getting ready for some football on Monday nights this fall will have to do so without the help of Hank Williams Jr.'s classic tunes.
ESPN has decided that Monday Night Football will continue this season with its city-themed openings at the expense of the country star's musical intro — or any music for, that matter.
"The thought was that rather than chase the next artist and the next song, what we have is pretty good and very high-end and could be water cooler talk," producer Jay Rothman told the Sports Business Journal. "At the end of the day, fans are tuning in for a football game."
ESPN fired Williams last year after the singer made some controversial comments comparing President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler while appearing on FOX News. The network then replaced his classic "Are You Ready For Some Football?" musical open with more dramatic introductions, which received critical praise.
This Monday's edition will reportedly feature footage shot at a Maryland bar in anticipation of the Ravens-Bengals game, with the Raiders and Chargers also to play in the night's second game.
Thumbnail photo via Facebook/Hank Williams Jr.
