Wednesday’s game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens kicked off nearly a week behind schedule due to a COVID-19 outbreak among the Ravens.
And, well, those extra six days proved costly to millions of NFL fans who wanted to watch this game on television.
On Tuesday night, the 64 television stations operated by TEGNA went off air as a result of a contract dispute with Directv and AT&T’s U-Verse. These disputes aren’t uncommon with television providers, but they’re often resolved just before a marquee event to avoid calls from furious customers flooding customer service lines.
But come Wednesday afternoon, those TEGNA stations (22 are NBC affiliates in markets like Phoenix, Denver, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Indianapolis and Seattle) were still dark.
As you probably could have guessed, NFL fans were not pleased.
Ummmm, NBC is just not on @DIRECTV right now? How am I supposed to watch this game?! pic.twitter.com/w5xR85Kl5m
— Sami Rotter (@S_rotter) December 2, 2020
Oh great. I turn my TV onto NBC to watch the Ravens-Steelers game…and becuase @DIRECTV and TEGNA are currently feuding, the channel isn't available. Thanks fellas, very cool!
— Cole Hurlbert (@TheColeHurlbert) December 2, 2020
Yo my Charlotte ppl. Why is NBC no longer on directv?
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) December 2, 2020
Ok, is the Directv beef with NBC national or am I the only schmuck that can’t watch the Ravens v Steelers game?!🤬
— Steve Carpenter (@stevencnc) December 2, 2020
Can someone tell me how to watch this game? Even though I have the NFL Sunday Ticket, @DIRECTV can’t ever seem to get along with anyone, so NBC is blacked out on my TV.
— Mile High Parlay (@MileHighParlay) December 2, 2020
What is this @DIRECTV ? I just want to watch the game pic.twitter.com/3Ho2SBJ1UZ
— Snowmo (@Scomo843) December 2, 2020
@DIRECTV
I am receiving this from my local NBC affiliate???@12news
Help! pic.twitter.com/XWM0JoChSB— BRG (@BraulioGomez15) December 2, 2020
Ummm @DIRECTV where is @NBC the game is about to come on
— CLEveland☘️IRISH (@Machine64Red2) December 2, 2020
The one workaround is to watch the game on the NBC Sports app and cast it to a television.
lol @WGRZ nice try my DirecTV password still gets me the game on the NBC Sports app! Which is all I watch ( @SNFonNBC ) pic.twitter.com/NFak40KYzQ
— Mark Simoncelli Jr (@mjcule) December 2, 2020
But if this dispute continues, fans in CBS and Fox TEGNA markets would also miss football this weekend.
