Fans and players of the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs have been left confused by plans to show the game exclusively on streaming platform Peacock. The Wall Street Journal reported in May that NBCUniversal agreed a one-year deal worth around $110 million with the NFL to exclusively broadcast a Saturday night game at 20:00 for wild-card weekend.
It is the first time an NFL playoff game will be only available to watch only through streaming, following the service’s launch in 2020. Peacock did also have coverage of an exclusive regular season game, which featured the Buffalo Bills beating the Los Angeles Chargers on December 23. Furious fans have taken to social media to vent their frustration, accusing NFL chiefs of being greedy and ignoring the wishes of spectators. And the players have joined the chorus of dissenting voices against the unpopular decision.
Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu took to social media to express his dismay over Kansas City’s wild-card game being shown on Peacock. “Us playing on peacock ONLY is insane I won’t lie,” Omenihu wrote on X on Sunday night. Many pointed that the Super Bowl champions, and in particular its quarterback Patrick Mahomes, have earned the right to have their game shown on live TV, while the vast majority of fans said they would not sign up.
How Chiefs and Dolphins fans can watch the game without Peacock
There is an exception that will apply to a limited section of fans which means they can watch without needing a Peacock subscription The game will be shown in the local markets, which means fans in the Kansas City and Miami areas will be able to watch the game for free via their local NBC affiliates. For fans living outside of the Kansas City and Miami areas, their only option to watch the game is to purchase or use a Peacock subscription.
