ESPN Announces Major Change for ‘Monday Night Football’

ESPN is making significant music announcements, with news that will excite football and music fans alike.

The network revealed Thursday that J Balvin, a global superstar, will collaborate with ESPN throughout the 2024-25 NFL season to curate music for select Monday Night Football games.

Buck. Aikman. Salters. Balvin. ManningCast. Belichick. Kelce.

According to ESPN, Balvin’s curated music will be highlighted during Monday Night Football promotional videos, live broadcasts, and the Monday Night Countdown show for seven weeks this season. This includes two crucial NFL playoff weeks.

To break it down, Balvin’s music will be featured in: Week 1 (Jets-49ers), Week 5 (Saints-Chiefs), Week 6 (Bills-Jets), Week 11 (Texans-Cowboys), Week 18 (Doubleheader; TBD), Monday Night Super Wild Card (TBD), and Divisional Round (TBD).

“ESPN’s Music curation program with Monday Night Football continues with an artist that will amplify the bold and new music strategy,” said Curtis Friends, ESPN Vice President of Sports Marketing. “J Balvin is a global icon whose influence hits with diverse cultures and genres. His music choices embrace the anticipation and excitement the ESPN football season offers, and we can’t wait for him to come along the season-long ride with us.”

Balvin, a multi-Latin Grammy Award winner and Billboard Music Awards winner, joins a list of illustrious musicians who’ve previously worked with ESPN. Last year, Timbaland and Justin Timberlake curated music for seven weeks of MNF games. The season before, ESPN collaborated with Marshmello to remix the Monday Night Football theme song.

To kick things off, Balvin’s ‘DOBLEXXO,’ a collaboration with Feid from his latest album ‘RAYO,’ will be featured as the opening song in ESPN’s Monday Night Football promotional spot for Week 1.

Source: ESPN PR, Awful Announcing