The AFC Championship is always one of CBS’ biggest events of the year (arguably the biggest in non-Super Bowl years for the network, like this one), and with just one game on the network, they pull out all the stops for it.
That means a big-time promo (this year featuring Tom Cruise) and sending the studio show crew to the stadium for pre-game and halftime shows on the field. One of the reasons NFL broadcasts don’t do remote shows often is they are big business and operating away from the studio brings a lot of variables into play that can wreck things, which CBS learned the hard way at Arrowhead when their halftime show got steamrolled by a Walker Hayes concert happening at midfield. The Chiefs wheeled a bunch of speakers out on the field so the crowd could hear it, rather than just blasting it over the PA system, and one of those sets of speakers was directly behind the CBS set.
The result was an abject disaster as the crew tried to break down the game while music blared behind them.
Someone at CBS forgot to check halftime show speaker levels… pic.twitter.com/aZ4b7eOAsZ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 30, 2022
Being that it was a halftime concert, it was not simply something the CBS crew could wait out, and it was hilarious to watch as they tried to press on as the Applebee’s song blared through speakers behind them and wrecked the sound.
absolutely one of the funniest NFL moments ever pic.twitter.com/KqyEQPUeC6
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) January 30, 2022
NFL fans had a field day with CBS’ misfortune, and honestly it might’ve been the most talked about halftime show of the season for any network, so in the long run this may have paid off, even if it was incredibly frustrating for Boomer Esiason and the fellas.
Got the desk like 3 feet away from those gigantic speakers 😂 pic.twitter.com/ZfzcfXGvwj
— Robert Murillo (@murillo5541) January 30, 2022
“I will be heard” – Kansas City Halftime Speaker pic.twitter.com/ZXXBcivGs4
— 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐞 (@exavierpope) January 30, 2022
— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) January 30, 2022
FANCY LIKE APPLEBEE’S ON A DATE NIGHT pic.twitter.com/RLauQlcdTO
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) January 30, 2022
Live television, baby. Ain’t nothing like it.
— Prescott Rossi (@PrescottRossi) January 30, 2022
People were worried that this weekend wouldn't hold up to the divisional round, and then we get that halftime show. Appreciate greatness when you see it.
— Robert Mays (@robertmays) January 30, 2022
Best halftime report I’ve ever watched
— Marchy Madnesson (@LockyLockerson) January 30, 2022
CBS production crew having a waking nightmare
— jason concepcion (@netw3rk) January 30, 2022
that was the most compelling halftime show i've ever seen
— charles (“you look good” – andy reid) mcdonald (@FourVerts) January 30, 2022
Putting the football analysts’ desk directly in front of a wall of stadium speakers playing half time music is a chaotic choice and I love it
— Vince Mancini (@VinceMancini) January 30, 2022
This is the greatest halftime show in football history. Do this every week. Make it louder. Use fireworks. I need more of this.
— Adam Kramer (@KegsnEggs) January 30, 2022