TV producer Ohlmeyer dies at age 72

Don Ohlmeyer, the “Monday Night Football” producer who came up with the phrase “Must See TV” in leading NBC to the No. 1 prime-time spot, died Sunday. He was 72.

Longtime friend Al Michaels announced Mr. Ohlmeyer’s death while broadcasting NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” game between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys.

Mr. Ohlmeyer won 16 Emmys, including the Lifetime Achievement Award. He began his broadcasting career at ABC Sports under Roone Arledge, working on “Wide World of Sports.”

Mr. Ohlmeyer became producer of “MNF” in 1972, teaming with director Chet Forte and the on-air crew of Howard Cosell, Don Meredith and Frank Gifford. In 2000, in his second “MNF” stint, Mr. Ohlmeyer put comedian Dennis Miller in the booth with Dan Fouts and Michaels.

After running his own Ohlmeyer Communications Company, he returned to NBC in 1993 as president of its entertainment division. Mr. Ohlmeyer created “Must See TV” in the 1990s, when NBC’s rating soared with such hits as “Seinfeld,” “Friends,” “ER” and “Frasier.”

Samuel Chi, a longtime Bay Area journalist who was The Chronicle’s college football columnist in 2015 as a freelance writer, died Saturday from pancreatic cancer at his home in Fallbrook (San Diego County). He was 48. Soccer: The Bundesliga’s first female referee oversaw a 1-1 draw between Hertha Berlin and Werder Bremen on Sunday.

“I’m looking forward to a return to normality tomorrow,” Bibiana Steinhaus said.

In MLS, the Atlanta United drew a sellout crowd of 45,314 in their first game at MercedesBenz Stadium and won for the first time in more than seven weeks with a 3-0 victory over FC Dallas . ... Ola Kamara scored his 15th goal of the season in first-half stoppage time and the host Columbus Crew tied Sporting Kansas City 1-1 . ... Lamar Neagle scored in the 85th minute, just two minutes after subbing into the game, to give host Seattle a 1-1 tie with Los Angeles.