David Leggat: From the US...a supersize weekend

Next September 12, if you are in the United States, pop into just about any sports bar and you'll catch an American sports phenomenon.

That night the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons will kick off Monday Night Football for the 2005-06 season.

MNF began on the ABC network in 1970. It was reckoned a big punt at the time, putting sports up against the regular diet of primetime television, with its talk shows and sitcoms. The doom merchants were waiting for a giant pratfall.

This year it will enter its 36th and last season with ABC. The last not because it has finally run its course, but because next year MNF is switching to ESPN.

It has been a huge success in the US. Last season, MNF was in the top 10 primetime programmes across the board for the 15th successive year.

The show has helped make legends of people such as commentator Howard Cosell, a big-mouth from New York, best known for his repartee with Muhammad Ali and who once famously described sport as "the toy department of human life".

And where is all this leading? To the Super 14 of course.

For all those who have been used to their sporting weekend ending on Sunday nights, here's some news: Monday night rugby is coming.

It is in the planning mix for next year, when the competition enlarges by two franchises.

A draft copy of next year's Super 14 draw is out for franchises to study and report back on to the Sanzar bosses.

It's all hush-hush, but they have been considering times, dates and venues, and the deadline to report back is today.

Four days are allocated each weekend for the seven matches. Rugby people connected with the Super 14 teams seem relaxed at the prospect of Monday night rugby.

The one proviso they had was Sanzar making sure the travel plans dovetailed, with sufficient rest and training time in between games, and allowing for lengthy air flights.

If Monday is not used, it would mean a crush of seven games between Friday night and early Sunday morning NZ time.

This season there have been a couple of weekend afternoon games in New Zealand.

The Crusaders hosted the Reds in Nelson on a Saturday afternoon and the Hurricanes beat the Waratahs in Wellington on a Sunday afternoon. Playing Super 12 in daylight in New Zealand is a novelty these days. More's the pity.

But as one person involved in a Super 12 franchise said: "7.30pm rugby is now a given. It's part of the makeup and whether it's a Friday, Saturday or Monday it's not going to be a big issue for us."

Is it a good idea? Let's say it's an interesting idea. Some franchises will fancy it more than others.

We are guilty of apeing Americana here - do any basketballers realise how odd talking about "deee-fence" sounds with a Kiwi accent - but this is one case where it might be worth a go.

Now it might turn out to be a dud. But when the Sanzar heads were wondering how to expand their competition, which horizons they could push, they might have had Cosell in mind.

"The ultimate victory in competition is derived from the inner satisfaction of knowing that you have done your best, and that you have gotten the most out of what you have to give," he said.

From a business perspective, exploring the Monday night option fits the second part of that to a tee.