The TEGNA blackout on Denver's Channel 9 will affect fans' ability to watch the Broncos game on NBC Sunday Night Football.
It's been a tough year to be a Denver Broncos fan. And now, due to the inability of AT&T and TEGNA to reach a contract agreement, the 2020 drama will extend into another week—and yet another game. Subscribers of DirecTV, which is owned by AT&T, will not receive the broadcast of the game between the Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night, due to a blackout on Channel 9 and Channel 20, both of which are TEGNA stations.
Unfortunately, DIRECTV and AT&T U-Verse have not reached an agreement with TEGNA to keep our stations on the air. As we continue negotiating in good faith, you can watch your TEGNA station on other local providers or streaming services. And we’re always free over-the-air.
— TEGNA (@TEGNA) December 2, 2020
The blackout, which started Tuesday, December 1, affects 64 television stations in 51 markets across the country. This is the message you'll see if you're a DirecTV subscriber and you turn on Channel 9 or Channel 20:
However, never fear. It seems that there are a few options for fans who still want to try to tune in to the game or livestream it.
- Attempt to use Locast, as mentioned above. When you see the screen above, follow the instructions to make sure you can connect your TV to the internet and follow the steps to use the Locast App.
- Use the Yahoo! Sports app to stream the game for free.
- Watch on YouTubeTV. If you don't have an account, activate a free trial.
So why is this happening?
“In the midst of an ongoing pandemic, TEGNA is demanding the largest rate increase we have ever seen and intentionally blacking out its most loyal viewers,” AT&T said in a statement. "We challenge TEGNA to return its local stations immediately while we finalize a new agreement and pledge to pay TEGNA retroactively whatever higher rates to which we eventually agree. We share our customers’ frustration, appreciate their patience and intend to do all we can to resolve this matter soon.”
This kind of thing does happen occasionally, and it's always disappointing to miss one's favorite show or game. But thankfully, in this day and age, there are usually multiple ways to get around it, though it's not always easy to finagle—especially of you're technologically challenged.
Try one of the three methods above, and let us know if it works for you! And go Broncos!
