ABC's generator caught on fire, leading to outage during Kentucky vs. Auburn

Is it a blowout loss if 98% of the fanbase can’t see the end? I say no.

Kentucky fans were spared the final 12 minutes of the 94-78 loss to No. 1 Auburn due to an ABC broadcast outage. According to a UK spokesperson, the generator for ABC’s truck outside Rupp Arena caught on fire, cutting the feed. Crews tried to find backup power to restore the broadcast but were unable to before it was over.

Kentucky was down 16, 68-52, when the feed went out at the 12:25 mark. For viewers at home, the screen went blue and switched immediately to commercials.

The Auburn-Kentucky broadcast went out with technical difficulties on ABC with over 12 minutes remaining in the 2nd half at about 2:55 p.m. ET.

The broadcast has not returned. 🏀📺😵‍💫 pic.twitter.com/yBbOYSSSH2

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 1, 2025

Eventually, the ESPN studio crew came on and explained that there were technical difficulties at Rupp and until they were restored, viewers would see Texas Tech at Kansas. At least in my market, we got to see the pregame show for the Red Wings vs. the Blue Jackets in the NHL Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series before the network switched to the Boston Bruins vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins. We got a little scorebug up in the top right corner with the occasional reminder of the ongoing technical difficulties, but that was about it. To get updates on the game, you had to turn on Tom Leach and Goose Givens on the radio and/or read the KSR LIVE BLOG, with hockey playing in the background, just like olden times.

What did we miss? Kentucky cut Auburn’s lead to 13 with 10 minutes to go thanks to back-to-back buckets by Lamont Butler. That’s as close as the Cats would get. Auburn went on to win 94-78, their first victory in Rupp Arena since 1988. Apparently, they celebrated it a lot, which they should. At least we didn’t have to see that.

The KSR crew at Rupp saw the entire game. Check out their takes below in the Rapid Reaction. No fires there.

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