ABC, ESPN and the NFL are teaming on an unprecedented telethon to raise funds and bring attention to the massive needs of the Gulf Coast region on Monday, September 19. Live telethon footage will air periodically during the 7:30 p.m. ET Saints-Giants game and 9:00 p.m. ET Redskins-Cowboys game. The Monday night telethon will emanate from ABC's Times Square studio in New York City. The telethon will raise money for the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund (www.bushclintonkatrinafund.com).
Current and former NFL players will be on hand at the studio to answer calls and accept pledges. Scheduled to appear are: current New York Jets CHAD PENNINGTON and WAYNE CHREBET and Hall of Famers MARCUS ALLEN (Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Raiders), ERIC DICKERSON (Indianapolis Colts and L.A. Rams), MIKE HAYNES (New England Patriots and Los Angeles Raiders), STEVE LARGENT (Seattle Seahawks), RONNIE LOTT (New York Jets, Los Angeles Raiders and San Francisco 49ers), ART SHELL (Oakland Raiders), JACKIE SLATER (St. Louis Rams and Los Angeles Rams) and BART STARR (Green Bay Packers). Also slated to participate are: JAMAL ANDERSON (Atlanta Falcons), OTTIS ANDERSON (New York Giants and St. Louis Rams), CARL BANKS (Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins and New York Giants), MARK DUPER (Miami Dolphins), MICHAEL JACKSON (Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns), ROBERT PORCHER (Detroit Lions), BRUCE SMITH (Washington Redskins and Buffalo Bills) and GENE WASHINGTON (Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers).
The Saints-New York Giants game will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET. ABC will televise the Saints-Giants game until the 9:00 pm ET start of the Washington at Dallas game. At that time, the Saints-Giants telecast will switch to ESPN in most markets. New York, Louisiana and selected hurricane-affected areas will see the Giants-Saints game to its conclusion on ABC. The Cowboys-Redskins game will begin on ESPN in those markets and switch to ABC following the conclusion of the Giants-Saints game.
The NFL, its owners, clubs and players have contributed nearly $10 million so far to Hurricane Katrina relief.
