This post has been updated.
As noted by Deadspin’s Timothy Burke, WBNS cut away from the game late in the second half to deliver news of a tornado warning for several nearby counties. Burke reports that WBNS showed a black screen for six minutes. Viewers who were watching the basketball game and were either unfazed by the threat of a tornado or would’ve considered a crawl on the screen sufficient, were not pleased.
Who was the idiot that decided to blow off the end of the basketball game to show a black screen and weather bla-bla? #WBNSscrewedup
— RockOPFD (@HoneDennis) March 26, 2017
SHOW THE GAME! You can't wait 30 seconds?!
— Andrew Moody (@SidBreamSlide) March 26, 2017
black screen, clueless weatherman, and missed a classic game. This better be the biggest tornado ever
— Nick ❌anno (@NManno53) March 26, 2017
you had a blank screen on to tell me the same thing the ticker was telling me before that. Thanks for making me miss the last 17 sec.
— W Flag (@cubslionsbucks) March 26, 2017
ARE YOU KIDDING ME @CBS? YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING. WBNS IN COLUMBUS, OHIO JUST CUT INTO THE UK VS UNC GAME WITH 30 SECONDS TO GO.
— Brian Joyce (@bjoyce_hoops) March 26, 2017
What are you doing?!?!? Why are you breaking into the game? You're running a banner at the top of the freaking screen!
— My Friend Jim (@IWalkAlone369) March 26, 2017
WBNS tried to make it up to its viewers by promising to air the final two minutes of North Carolina’s win at 8 p.m., but delayed the re-airing when the tornado warning was extended.
10TV will air the last two minutes of the North Carolina vs. Kentucky game at 8:00 p.m.
— 10TV (@10TV) March 26, 2017
UPDATE: Tornado warning extended for Delaware & Franklin Co. until 8:15pm. 10TV will air the last 2 min. of the UNC-UK once threat is over.
— 10TV (@10TV) March 27, 2017
Update: Around 9:15 p.m., WBNS issued the following statement:
We had a massive technical failure in the final seconds of the NCAA basketball game between the University of Kentucky and the University of North Carolina.Once the situation was remedied we were under a tornado warning and lives were in danger. Upon the conclusion of the warning we aired the remaining minutes of the game.We apologize for the inconvenience.
Thanks to Deadspin for sharing.