The Cleveland Browns won a playoff game last weekend for the first time since 1995. Their reward was to play the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday in a highly anticipated game on CBS to determine which one would move onto the AFC Championship game.
But when audiences in the New York area turned on CBS to watch the NFL game, instead of the red and yellow of the Chiefs and the orange and brown of Cleveland, they were greeted with black screens. The issue seemed to be for all viewers across any number of cable and satellite providers, too. Audiences for Spectrum, Optimum, and many other services reported seeing nothing at all where a playoff game should be. Outages have been reported from Manhattan to Long Island, and New Jersey.
Anybody else getting a blank screen on CBS? (Fios – All other channels working)
— Matt (@FreelanceBBall) January 17, 2021
Uh, @Ask_Spectrum is there some reason CBS isn't working in Manhattan? There's kind of a big game about to happen.
— Plannerboo! (@plannerben) January 17, 2021
CBS is blacked out in my house….just in time for the game.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 17, 2021
https://twitter.com/JimMWeber/status/1350897051882713089
WTF @DIRECTV it's always something #CLEvsKC pic.twitter.com/iwzZv4JuRo
— Mike (@m__easy) January 17, 2021
CBS is out for us, 1 hour north of NYC, on DirecTv. Out for others? #CBS
— Christopher Pawelski (@ChrisPawelski) January 17, 2021
So they can't start the Browns-Chiefs game until CBS is fixed right?
— Eric Hubbs (@BarstoolHubbs) January 17, 2021
The game did indeed get underway but NY-based viewers remained in the dark about what was happening. Some quick sleuthing did uncover that you could still watch the game on the CBS Sports app, for what it’s worth.
CBS Sports app can give you access in time being. Have to verify cable subscription. https://t.co/dBShmP0HbU
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) January 17, 2021
Around 2:17 p.m., it looks like the CBS feed back up on FiOS and DirecTV. However, those audiences ended up missing the first six minutes of the game, which includes a Kansas City touchdown. Some other CBS audiences still don’t appear to have any access to the game.
FiOS seems to be working.
Any other services still out?
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) January 17, 2021
I have calls out to CBS to find out what the heck is happening.
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) January 17, 2021
It’s been a very frustrating start to their Sunday for Browns and Chiefs fans in the Northeast.
UPDATE: Marchand (kinda but not really) got an answer about what’s happening
They have given me a statement that doesn't say much we don't already know:
"There are technical difficulties at WCBS affecting some parts of the NY area," a WCBS spokesman said. "We are aware and working on a solution." https://t.co/cGCNUDiown
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) January 17, 2021
UPDATE 2: It now sounds like CBS is back on almost all carriers, though some spotty reception has been reported on Twitter.
So this is Twitter trust factor: It sounds like all systems are now back on, but I've gotten reports that Optimum has gone back out.
Let me know. Thanks.
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) January 17, 2021
More updates as they become available.
