Given these factors, as well as the rise of ABC's ratings on Sunday night, and the network's wish of protecting its "Desperate Housewives" franchise (which they knew would be costly), on April 18, 2005, ABC and the NFL announced the end of their 36-year partnership, with the "Monday Night Football" broadcasts being moved to ESPN starting with the 2006 season; the move was criticized by some of the Disney shareholders (as well as NFL fans and purists).