Will your local FOX affiliate carry the New Orleans Saints’ regular season opener? The black and gold are visiting the Atlanta Falcons for an always-heated rivalry game, and the NFC South showdown is going to be broadcast across a wide swath of SEC country. Former Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma is on the call for FOX Sports, with kickoff scheduled for noon CT/1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 11.
And stations from south Texas to the North Carolina-Virginia border will be prioritizing the game, with all of Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina getting in on the action. Most of Arkansas, North Carolina, and large parts of Tennessee and Florida will also be in on it.
That’s not too surprising. The Saints always draw a strong crowd; and hapless as they may be, the Falcons do often seem to match New Orleans’ energy here. The football-crazed Southeast embraces the rivalry as eagerly as both teams do themselves. So it’s a safe bet that a lot of eyes will be drawn to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta this Sunday. For reference, areas in green will catch the Saints-Falcons tilt, while those in other colors are receiving different games. Check the broadcast map from 506sports.com:
And here’s your color-coded key:
- Red: San Francisco 49ers at Chicago Bears
- Blue: Philadelphia Eagles at Detroit Lions
- Yellow: Jacksonville Jaguars at Washington Commanders
Other games being shown in the New Orleans media market this week include Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals’ home opener with the Pittsburgh Steelers at noon CT, followed by the Kansas City Chiefs’ road trip to visit the Arizona Cardinals (both on CBS). After the Saints and Falcons wrap up business, FOX will carry the Green Bay Packers-Minnesota Vikings kickoff in the late afternoon spot.
This week’s national broadcasts feature the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams (on Thursday night on NBC), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys (Sunday night on NBC), and the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks (Monday night on ESPN and ABC). We’ve got a loaded slate ahead of us. Let’s see if the Saints can kick it all off with a win.
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