ABC’s Texas-Tennessee broadcast had muffled audio and static in the first quarter. Chris Fowler said the problem came from the production truck; his audio cleared first, while Kirk Herbstreit was temporarily taken off the broadcast. ABC later fixed the issue.
Laura Rutledge was discussing “electromagnetic deconfliction”—coordination to prevent radio signals from interfering—when the audio trouble occurred. She said the Secret Service worked with coaches to prevent their headsets from being shut down when President Donald Trump moved through the stadium, as had happened in the past. Whether Trump’s presence contributed to ABC’s audio problems remained unclear.
