The NFL playoffs are set to begin this weekend, with six games making up NFL Wild Card weekend between Saturday, January 13, and Monday, January 15. With the NFL, and specifically the playoffs, one of the few things that can bring massive live TV audiences to TV screens these days, millions of people are looking forward to watching the games, whether their teams are playing or not. Unfortunately, for some fans, watching all the games on NFL Wild Card weekend is going to be a harder task than in years prior.
That is because one game, the Miami Dolphins vs Kansas City Chiefs, is only going to be available to stream if you are a Peacock subscriber, while a dispute between DirecTV and broadcast company Tegna could threaten multiple Wild Card weekend games from being available in certain US markets.
Let's start with the easier situation. The NFL and NBCUniversal reached a deal in 2023 to have a playoff game stream exclusively on Peacock this year, which again is the Dolphins vs Chiefs game taking place in Kansas City on Saturday, January 13, at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT. For everyone that does not live in the Kansas City and Miami areas, where the game will be shown on their local NBC station, the only way to watch this game that features Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and Tua Tagovailoa (and possibly Taylor Swift in the stands) is to have a Peacock subscription.
The NFL has been streaming games exclusively on streaming services for a couple of years now with Thursday Night Football games on Prime Video and even a few weeks ago a Buffalo Bills vs Los Angeles Chargers game only on Peacock, but this is the first time a playoff game is airing exclusively on one. And while the barrier to watch the game is not overly steep (Peacock starts at $5.99 per month), many fans are not happy with the fact they have to take this extra step.
Putting a playoff game on PEACOCK should be a felony. pic.twitter.com/tzKE4T4wFmJanuary 8, 2024
An absolute joke that a full NFL playoff game is exclusively on @peacock. Steaming services are ruining sports broadcasts.January 8, 2024
The #NFL has reached an all time low by putting a Playoff game on Peacock forcing viewers to have to pay for another service in order to watch a playoff game. I’ve already wasted my free trial for the Notre Dame game, so I will NOT be watching this NFL game.. greedy animals pic.twitter.com/AikH247zE8January 8, 2024
Selena telling Taylor the Chiefs playoff game is on Peacockpic.twitter.com/McQeksGOZDJanuary 8, 2024
Still, that is only one game and fans have an easy solution if they absolutely want to watch it. Things are more complicated for those who are mixed up in the ongoing DirecTV/Tegna dispute.
Long story short, failed negotiations over broadcast rights have resulted in Tegna-owned TV stations not being available to DirecTV subscribers, which since November 30, 2023, has impacted at least 51 TV markets in the US. As of this writing, the blackout has not been resolved and will likely result in viewers in these markets not having access to some of these games (unsurprisingly, both sides are putting the blame on the other).
This includes viewers in Cleveland wanting to watch their Browns play the Houston Texans on Saturday, January 13, and some Dallas Cowboy fans living outside of San Antonio hoping to tune in for their game on Fox Sunday, January 14, against the Green Bay Packers. Making things worse for the latter, Fox doesn't even have an affiliated streaming service like NBC (Peacock), CBS (Paramount Plus) or ESPN (ESPN Plus) that can serve as a respite for those impacted.
In the past, last minute deals have been made to end blackouts like DirecTV/Tegna, especially when it involves the NFL, but What to Watch sister site NextTV reported earlier this week that DirecTV had no updates on the situation.
There is another option to make sure you get all of the games on TV (sorry again Dolphins vs Chiefs fans) this weekend — NFL Plus, which will show all of the playoff games on TV through Super Bowl LVIII, starting at $6.99 per month.
We hope everyone finds a way to watch all of the NFL playoff action they want to this weekend.
