[News Engineer]

Does this mark the first time a NFL play off game hasn’t been nationally free to air? I think all of ESPN’s have been simulcast on ABC?

Carolina v Arizona in Jan 2015 was only on ESPN (not simulcast on ABC as all subsequent ones have been), so it’s the second behind a paywall, the first exclusively on streaming.

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Would there be any potential broadcast complications possible with temperatures reaching well below 0°F (-20°C). Obviously no equpiment or personnel will regulary be subject to those conditions, but will they be able to prepare for that or be designed for that?

Usually with the cold the biggest issue is anything that relies on batteries. You suddenly need a whole load of extra charged batteries, and have to be ready to swap them out in devices that might go a whole broadcast on one battery (or just more often). How much depends on just how cold it is.

There may be some equipment that just can’t be used, but the core stuff will able to cope. It may need to be covered etc. It’s where the well made (and usually more expensive) stuff comes into its own. In the US they’ll bring in a load of extra heaters!

Then there are the people out there - good broadcast employees will make sure they’ve got the clothing etc to make sure they’ll be OK.