DirecTV customers across Cincinnati woke up Sunday to a nasty surprise: WCPO-9 had disappeared from their channel lineup, just days before Game 1 of the NBA Finals. The San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks open the series Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC, and a lot of DirecTV viewers suddenly are not sure they will have a live feed in time for the opening tip. Here is a quick, no-nonsense guide to how local fans can still catch the opener.
Game night: where the Finals will air
Game 1 is scheduled for Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC, and every Finals matchup will also stream on the ESPN App. The national broadcast crew is set with Mike Breen on play-by-play, analysts Richard Jefferson and Tim Legler, and sideline reporter Lisa Salters, according to ESPN Press Room.
Why your DirecTV guide may be blank
DirecTV has pulled dozens of local stations owned by The E.W. Scripps Company after the two sides failed to reach a retransmission-consent deal, and the blackout kicked in on May 31 across 36 markets, including Cincinnati, according to AP News. The local ripple effects were spelled out in a Hoodline piece on how the DirecTV fee fight hits home.
Local workaround: what WCPO recommends
WCPO is telling DirecTV subscribers to speak up by calling 1-855-KEEP-US-1 (1-855-533-7871). The station notes that its over-the-air signal is still free for anyone with an antenna, and it is also steering viewers toward connected-TV apps such as Samsung TV Plus, LG Channels and Amazon Prime Video. WCPO's help page walks viewers through how to rescan an antenna and lists paid live-TV streaming services that carry local ABC affiliates in many markets, according to WCPO.
Streaming options if you don't have ABC on DirecTV
If ABC has vanished from your DirecTV guide, you can still catch the game on the ESPN App. ESPN also says ESPN Unlimited subscribers will get alternate presentations and extra content inside the app. On top of that, live-TV streaming services that commonly carry local affiliates - Fubo, YouTube TV, and Hulu + Live TV - are all on the table for viewers who already subscribe or are willing to sign up, per E.W. Scripps.
Quick fixes before tipoff
Before the opening whistle, your fastest plays are to rescan an indoor antenna, log into the ESPN App, activate an ESPN Unlimited subscription if you have it, or fire up a short free trial from a live-TV streamer that carries ABC in Cincinnati. If none of that does the trick, WCPO suggests calling DirecTV to report the outage and request either restoration or a credit on your bill. You can also head out to local bars or organized watch-parties that will be pulling in the broadcast on a different provider or via antenna, according to WCPO.
The Knicks' run to the Finals is their first appearance since 1999, and it is the Spurs' first trip back since 2014, which only cranks up the pressure on local fans to lock in an alternate feed before Wednesday's 8:30 p.m. ET tipoff, according to NBC Sports.
