Josh Allen guides DirecTV subscribers on watching Bills games with Tony Romo: Alan Pergament

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen stars in a humorous campaign for Paramount+ to promote live streaming of NFL games.

Buffalo Bills fans who are concerned about not being able to watch regular season games on WIVB-TV due to a dispute between the CBS affiliate, Nexstar, and DirecTV may find some relief thanks to quarterback Josh Allen. Allen has teamed up with CBS analyst Tony Romo in a humorous campaign for the streaming service Paramount+. In the campaign, Romo plays a professor in a fictional college English literature class, using Shakespeare to offer a deal while Allen appears via Zoom to deliver two lines. The campaign highlights that NFL games carried in local markets on Paramount+ can be streamed live all season long, including Super Bowl 58. The campaign, which runs through September 20, offers a 12-month subscription for $2.50 per month for the Paramount+ Essential plan. However, the Essential package does not include local CBS stations, which are available on other Paramount+ packages for a higher cost. A 12-month subscription for Paramount+ with Showtime is $5 per month and would include WIVB.

It is important to note that the ongoing dispute between Nexstar and DirecTV is a national issue that affects Nexstar stations affiliated with CBS, NBC, ABC, and Fox stations that carry NFL games across the country. It is unclear when the dispute will be resolved, but it is anticipated that it will be resolved by the start of the NFL regular season.

In the meantime, DirecTV has provided a solution for its customers. Customers can enter their ZIP code at TVPromise.com to see if they are eligible for a $10 credit, which can cover four months of the Paramount+ Essential plan or two months of the Paramount+ with Showtime plan at the discounted rate. This allows fans without Paramount+ to still enjoy the games while the dispute is ongoing.

During the Bills' preseason games against Indianapolis and Pittsburgh, the games were available on the regular Paramount+ package via WIVB. The preseason finale in Chicago will also be available through the separate deal between Nexstar and Paramount+. However, the preseason finale will not be carried on Paramount+ Essential if fans choose to take advantage of Romo and Allen's offer.

In other news, WKBW-TV faced criticism for its practice of recording some newscasts instead of airing them live. This was evident when the station's 11 p.m. newscast failed to mention the death of Rick Jeanneret, the Buffalo Sabres' legendary play-by-play announcer. However, the station made up for it by devoting 10 minutes to Jeanneret's impact at the top of its 6 p.m. newscast the following day.

In a trivia tidbit, the play-by-play voice on television during the Buffalo Sabres' first season was Dave Hodge. Ted Darling, the original voice of the Sabres, called the games on radio during that season and transitioned to television in the second season after Hodge left to become a studio host for CBC's "Hockey Night in Canada." Jeanneret's broadcasting career with the Sabres began in the team's second season when Darling moved to television.

Overall, it seems that there are options available for Buffalo Bills fans who are concerned about missing games due to the dispute between Nexstar and DirecTV. The Paramount+ campaign featuring Josh Allen and Tony Romo provides an opportunity for fans to stream live games, including the Super Bowl, while the dispute is ongoing. Additionally, DirecTV is offering credits to eligible customers to help cover the cost of a Paramount+ subscription.

Share With Others