The No. 1 rule of social media is to never read the comments.
Don't worry, none of us follow this rule in its entirety, but ESPN did during this season's Monday Night Football debut when they showed a new down-and-distance graphic.
The NFL graphics revamp by ESPN's Creative Services team includes a new #MNF dashboard this season. A notable addition is the neon yellow "venom" color. Great work by @coolhand20 and company. pic.twitter.com/AwjVWfrG2O— bill hofheimer (@bhofheimer_espn) September 9, 2019
The opener, in which the New Orleans Saints hosted the Houston Texans' also hosted a yellow, greenish-colored "venom" graphic and it left viewers very confused as it was similar to the color that viewers watching it on a screen saw when a flag was thrown for a penalty. When it was a penalty situation, the graphic took a black shade behind the yellow font which only added to the head-scratching.
ESPN quickly updated the fiasco in the middle of the game:
Sports
Our ESPN production team is aware of the feedback on the #MNF down and distance graphic. We have called an audible and adjusted for the 2nd half of #HOUvsNO and for the #DENvsOAK game to follow. New look pictured here. pic.twitter.com/SWLKKuW87w— bill hofheimer (@bhofheimer_espn) September 10, 2019
Breaking: ESPN is switching away from the new Down-And-Distance graphic it debuted in the first half of Monday Night Football. ESPN heard the fans' feedback and acted, quick.— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 10, 2019
Many members of football media tweeted out their frustrations asking who could possibly have had the idea to put this into action -- especially because viewers could think there was a flag on every play.
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It was nice to see ESPN take into account the fans' frustrations and get it taken care of before an Antonio Brown-less Raiders' 24-16 win over the Denver Broncos. It would have just added to the "F--k, AB!" chants heard around the Coliseum.
That wouldn't have been fun.
