At one point in time, the Chicago Bears were a must-see on TV. Nowadays, they’re more like must-flee TV, and multiple television stations are making sure their viewers don’t have to see the mess ahead of their matchup with the Denver Broncos. The two winless teams are set to square off in Week 4 on Sunday afternoon on CBS, but the game will be on fewer stations around the country than initially anticipated.
According to 506 Sports via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, various CBS affiliates across the country who were originally set to air the Bears and Broncos requested and received permission to air the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills games instead. Those stations include the entire state of Michigan; northern Wisconsin; Des Moines, Iowa; Fargo, N.D.; Mankato, Minn.; and parts of Missouri.
Buy Bears TicketsPer 506sports, these CBS affiliates requested/ received permission from CBS to air Dolphins-Bills instead of Denver-Bears game they were assigned: EVERY CBS station in Michigan; Green Bay & Wausau, Wis.; Des Moines; Fargo; Mankato, Minn. & Cape Girardeau and Kirksville, Missouri.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) September 28, 2023
The game will still be available for the greater Chicagoland area, as well as most of Illinois, Southern Wisconsin, and Eastern Iowa. It will also air across Colorado and its surrounding states. But a decent chunk of the country has spoken, and they do not want to see the Bears if they can help. Can you blame them? Chicago and Denver are both 0-3 and aren’t exactly playing a fun brand of football that’s appealing to viewers. The Bears lost 41-10 last week to the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in a game that was nationally televised that they abandoned for another game just after halftime.
The Broncos, meanwhile, were dismantled by the Dolphins, losing 70-20. Denver had no answer for Miami’s offense and surrendered the most points since 1950. With these two juggernauts coming together, this could be a tough game to consume for those in the market.
Keep an eye out for our broadcast map and how to watch this weekend’s game beginning at Noon CT on Sunday.
