If you needed any more evidence of how meaningless the NFL preseason is, look no further than football fans in Atlanta on Saturday.
FOX was airing the Nebraska-Northwestern game Saturday, which was a very close contest that the Wildcats won 31-28. But during the middle of the game, the FOX TV affiliate in Atlanta — FOX 5 — switched its coverage to the Falcons’ preseason game against the the Jaguars.
There were tons of college football fans who were watching the first big game of the college football season and did not enjoy the switch over to Falcons preseason football.
Woah woah woah NO WAY Fox is cutting Nebraska-Northwestern for a Falcons preseason game?
— jxke. 🧸 (@cantguardjake) August 27, 2022
Watching Nebraska game and it just switched over to the Falcons preseason game… what the heck! I’m on Hulu, anyone know what’s up?
— Aaron Murray (@aaronmurray11) August 27, 2022
So while I get the fact that Atlanta is Falcons country, how dare Fox get away from the Nebraska-Northwestern for a meaningless preseason game between the Falcons and Jaguars???
— Christopher Nichols (@cnorthside85) August 27, 2022
Man they just cutaway from the Nebraska-Northwestern game in Atlanta for a Falcons' preseason pre-game show. Goodness. I have to watch in non-HD now. That sucks.
— Kelly Quinlan (@Kelly_Quinlan) August 27, 2022
They seriously just cutaway from the Nebraska-Northwestern game in Atlanta for a Falcons' preseason pre-game show. HEATED. Absolutely heated. Did not wait nine months for college football to return to have it interupted for Falcons coverage no one wants. PRESEASON?!! PRACTICE?!!
— Cody (@CodeMan10x) August 27, 2022
There were alternative viewing options where fans could watch the rest of the Nebraska-Northwestern game, such as the FOX app, but many fans felt that their viewing experience had been disrupted in favor of a less desirable sports event.
FYI Northwestern & Nebraska fans in Atlanta. We will be switching to #Falcons pregame at 2:30, you can watch the rest of the game on 5.3 over the air, or channel 234 on Xfinity
— Cody Chaffins (@CodyChaffins) August 27, 2022
The Falcons won the preseason game 28-12, but can anyone blame fans for preferring to watch an intriguing Big Ten game over a Falcons preseason finale where many top players are not participating? No, no you can’t blame them at all. We’d be upset too.
