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Here's why the Super Bowl broadcast went black

NBC cited a brief equipment failure and said no commercial time was missed.

The Super Bowl broadcast went dark for several seconds on Sunday night during a commercial break, prompting predictable confusion and frustration from viewers.

NBC Sports issued a statement on Twitter that attributed the darkness to a "brief equipment failure." The network said no game action or commercial time was missed.

The brief blackout was a big deal because thirty-second commercial slots are going for more than $5 million for airtime alone. The goal is to capture the attention of the 111 million-plus viewers who tuned in Sunday as the Philadelphia Eagles took on the New England Patriots.

People on Twitter understandably freaked out. Some wondered if it was just their TV.

Others joked about the dead air.

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