by News of Comcast’s agreement to carry Marquee Sports Network came just over nine hours before the Chicago Cubs’ 2020 season opener. Marquee posted the news on Twitter at 8:56 a.m. on July 24, 2020. First pitch of the day was at 6:10 p.m
Will the Chicago Sports Network (CHSN) have such news to offer on Friday as it is scheduled to broadcast the first regular season game of one of its three teams (Blackhawks, Bulls, White Sox) on Friday evening? The Chicago Blackhawks play against the Winnipeg Jets, with puck drop scheduled for 7:00 p.m. As of 1 p.m. Friday, there was no announcement on Comcast about CHSN’s broadcast.
Comcast and CHSN have been in negotiations for some time and continued their discussions Friday, officials from both sides said Friday.
“We remain in active negotiations with multiple vendors and hope to provide further updates soon,” a CHSN spokesperson wrote in an email.
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What we know and don’t know about CHSN’s broadcasts
Although more and more television viewers have cut the cord and spread across different services, Comcast is still considered the largest provider in the Chicago area. Comcast delivery and direct-to-consumer delivery were considered the two biggest paths to success for CSHN. While CHSN has an interest in creating a direct-to-consumer option, it is understood that a Comcast agreement must be reached first.
– Chicago Sports Network (@CHSN__) October 11, 2024
Comcast and CHSN are expected to reach an agreement at some point. Whether that will happen before Friday’s broadcast of the Blackhawks game remains to be determined. If an agreement is not reached before Friday’s game, it will be seen as a loss of publicity. Fans have already been vocal about their displeasure at not being able to access CHSN through Comcast or elsewhere. As the Blackhawks on
Aside from Comcast, CHSN is expected to land more shows in a timely manner. Fubo and Hulu are among the other services CHSN is negotiating with, a network source said. YouTube TV is currently unlikely. While CHSN has pushed forward with broadcasting there, YouTube TV has shown less interest in broadcasting regional sports channels in recent years.
CHSN is currently available over-the-air via a digital antenna and is carried by DirecTV, DirecTV Stream, U-verse and Astound. CHSN is available over-the-air on channels 62.2 and 62.3 in Chicago, 19.3 and 19.4 in Rockford, and 16.2 and 16.4 in South Bend, Indiana. The network is also expected to be available over the air in Champaign, Peoria, Quincy and Springfield, Illinois, in Indianapolis and in parts of Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan and Wisconsin, but these channels have yet to be announced.
(Photo: Jon Greenberg / The Athletic)
