How to Watch St. Louis Blues Thursday Night Blues Free on KMOV: DIRECTV Channel and Blue Note+ Context
Thursday Night Blues starts Thursday, October 22, 2026, when the St. Louis Blues host the Vegas Golden Knights at Enterprise Center. Gray Media and the Blues are simulcasting 10 select Blue Note+ games over the air on First Alert 4 on ABC (KMOV's ABC feed, Channel 32 in St. Louis) and on Gray stations across the team's Midwest territory.
That matters for DIRECTV customers in St. Louis: Blue Note+, the team's local TV home that replaced the old FanDuel/Bally regional setup, is not currently carried on DIRECTV. The Thursday Night Blues package is the free broadcast path on your local ABC feed. Puck drop for the Vegas opener is 7 p.m. CT / 8 p.m. ET. Here's how to watch, as of October 15, 2026.
Thursday Night Blues at a glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Package | Thursday Night Blues (10 Blue Note+ simulcasts on Gray / First Alert ABC) |
| Opener | Thursday, October 22, 2026: Vegas at St. Louis, 7 p.m. CT / 8 p.m. ET, Enterprise Center |
| St. Louis OTA | First Alert 4 on ABC / KMOV ABC feed, Channel 32.1 over the air |
| DIRECTV (St. Louis) | Channel 30 for First Alert 4 on ABC, per KMOV / Gray |
| Production | Blue Note+ simulcast (Chris Kerber, Joey Vitale); pre/post shows stay on Blue Note+ |
| Season slate | Blue Note+ carries 73 regular-season Blues games; Thursday Night Blues is the free OTA subset |
How DIRECTV customers watch Thursday Night Blues
In St. Louis, Gray and KMOV list First Alert 4 on ABC on DIRECTV channel 30 (Dish and AT&T U-verse use the same listing). Over the air it is Channel 32.1. Search the DIRECTV guide for "ABC," "KMOV" or "Blues" on Thursday night, or press 3-0 on your remote in the St. Louis market.
Gray is also distributing the simulcasts to affiliate markets across Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and Indiana, including Kansas City, Springfield, Cape Girardeau/Paducah, Quincy, Peoria, Topeka, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Ottumwa and Evansville, plus a Joplin partner. Outside St. Louis, check local listings for the Gray ABC or CW station carrying that night's game.
National NHL games still land on ESPN (206), TNT (245), TBS (247), NHL Network (215) and your local ABC station when the Blues are on a national window. Our NHL on DIRECTV guide and NHL Network channel guide cover those. For Missouri locals, see DIRECTV channels for Missouri.
The 10 Thursday Night Blues games
Dates and opponents from the Blues' October 12, 2026 announcement (times are local to the game site; the St. Louis home games are Central):
| Date | Matchup | Listed time |
|---|---|---|
| Thu., Oct. 22 | Vegas at St. Louis | 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET) |
| Thu., Nov. 5 | St. Louis at New Jersey | 6 p.m. ET |
| Thu., Nov. 19 | St. Louis at Pittsburgh | 6 p.m. ET |
| Thu., Dec. 17 | St. Louis at Boston | 6 p.m. ET |
| Thu., Dec. 31 | St. Louis at Vegas | 2 p.m. PT (4 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. ET) |
| Thu., Jan. 21 | St. Louis at Montreal | 6 p.m. ET |
| Thu., Jan. 28 | Colorado at St. Louis | 7 p.m. CT |
| Thu., Feb. 25 | Vancouver at St. Louis | 7 p.m. CT |
| Thu., March 11 | San Jose at St. Louis | 7 p.m. CT |
| Thu., March 25 | New York Islanders at St. Louis | 7 p.m. CT |
Confirm each date in your DIRECTV guide closer to puck drop. The package runs through March 25 against the Islanders.
Blue Note+ vs. the old Bally / FanDuel setup
For 2026-27, local Blues games live on Blue Note+, the team-operated network that took over from the FanDuel Sports Network / Bally Sports Midwest era. Blue Note+ is set to televise 73 regular-season games. The Thursday Night Blues telecasts are simulcasts of those Blue Note+ productions on free TV, not a separate booth.
As of mid-October 2026, the Blues say Blue Note+ is available through Spectrum, Fubo and Prime Video in-market, and that DIRECTV / U-verse and Comcast have not agreed to carry it on the same terms Spectrum and Fubo accepted. That is why the free KMOV / First Alert ABC games matter for DIRECTV homes in St. Louis: they are the over-the-air way to catch a chunk of the local slate without Blue Note+ on your satellite guide.
Out-of-market fans still use NHL Center Ice on DIRECTV satellite ($79.98 for the 2026-27 regular season) for non-blacked-out games, and national windows on ESPN, TNT and NHL Network. Our older St. Louis Blues season guide still covers Center Ice and national channels; treat any Bally Sports Midwest references there as outdated for 2026-27.
Other ways to watch Blues games this season
- Thursday Night Blues / First Alert ABC: the 10 free OTA simulcasts above; DIRECTV channel 30 in St. Louis per KMOV.
- Blue Note+: full local slate on Spectrum, Fubo or Prime Video where offered; not on DIRECTV as of October 15, 2026.
- National TV: ESPN 206, ESPN2 209, TNT 245, TBS 247, NHL Network 215, and local ABC when the Blues are nationally assigned.
- NHL Center Ice: out-of-market package on DIRECTV satellite only; home-market games stay blacked out.
- Radio: WXOS 101.1 FM (ESPN Radio) and the Blues Radio Network for all 82 games.
Opening-night and season context are in our 2026-27 NHL Opening Night guide and 2026-27 NHL season guide. ESPN's streaming side is covered in NHL Power Play on ESPN for DIRECTV customers.
Want local ABC, ESPN and NHL Network lined up for hockey season? Check DIRECTV options at your address or call 1-855-690-9884.
Frequently asked questions
What channel is Thursday Night Blues on DIRECTV?
In St. Louis, KMOV / Gray lists First Alert 4 on ABC on DIRECTV channel 30. Over the air it is Channel 32.1. Search the guide for Blues or ABC on Thursday nights.
When does Thursday Night Blues start?
The package opens Thursday, October 22, 2026, with Vegas at St. Louis at 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET) at Enterprise Center.
Is Blue Note+ on DIRECTV?
Not as of October 15, 2026. The Blues say Blue Note+ is on Spectrum, Fubo and Prime Video in-market, and that DIRECTV has not agreed to carry it. Thursday Night Blues on First Alert ABC is the free broadcast option for DIRECTV homes.
How many Blues games are free on KMOV?
Ten. Gray and the Blues are simulcasting 10 Blue Note+ Thursday games on First Alert 4 on ABC through March 25, 2026-27, roughly double last season's over-the-air package.
Do the free games include pregame and postgame shows?
No. The ABC simulcasts carry the Blue Note+ game production. Pregame and postgame shows stay exclusive to Blue Note+.
What replaced Bally Sports Midwest for the Blues?
Blue Note+ is the Blues' local TV home for 2026-27 and is scheduled for 73 regular-season games. It replaces the prior FanDuel Sports Network / Bally Sports Midwest regional setup for St. Louis.
Need help finding First Alert ABC or NHL Network on your DIRECTV guide? Call 1-855-690-9884.
Details reviewed October 15, 2026. Thursday Night Blues dates, channel maps and Blue Note+ carriage are based on Blues and Gray/KMOV announcements from October 2026 and may change. Blue Note+ was not carried on DIRECTV as of this update. Channel numbers, package contents, offers and prices vary by address and may change. St. Louis Blues, Vegas Golden Knights, NHL, Blue Note+, KMOV, Gray Media, DIRECTV and related marks belong to their respective owners. American TV is an independent dealer and resource site.