SAN DIEGO (AP) _ Several corporate sponsors stepped up to help save the San Diego Chargers the embarrassment of having Thursday night's NFL Network game against the Kansas City Chiefs blacked out locally.

The Chargers said the sponsors, including the local CBS affiliate, guaranteed the purchase of enough tickets to lift the local television blackout. Those tickets will be donated to local military bases and military hospitals.

The team wouldn't say how many tickets had to be sold by the deadline of 5:20 p.m. Monday, but it was believed to be approximately 10,000.

The NFL Network began showing Thursday night games in 2006 and has never had one blacked out locally.

The Chargers have had one game blacked out this season, a loss to Atlanta on Sept. 23.

San Diego (3-4) has lost three straight games, including two in which it blew double-digit leads in the second half. Kansas City is 1-6.