| Comcast SportsNet Chicago | |
|---|---|
| CSN Chicago logo | |
| Launched | October 1, 2004 |
| Network | Comcast SportsNet |
| Owned by | NBCUniversal (20%) J. Joseph Ricketts Family (20%) Jerry Reinsdorf (40%) Rocky Wirtz (20%) |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV) |
| Slogan | Fan's Best Friend. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Broadcast area | Illinois Indiana Iowa Southern Wisconsin Nationwide via satellite |
| Replaced | FSN Chicago (de facto, the former network still aired national programming until affiliating with the new network) Hawkvision |
| Sister channel(s) | WMAQ, WSNS NBC Sports Network |
| Website | http://www.csnchicago.com |
| Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| DirecTV | 665 (SD and HD) 666 CSN Chicago + 666-1 CSN Chicago + HD 667 CSN Chicago + 2 |
| Dish Network | 429 (SD) 5429 (HD) game only 450 CSN Chicago + SD |
| Cable | |
| Cable | Check local listings |
| AT&T U-Verse | CSN Chicago 741 (SD) CSN Chicago + 742 (SD) CSN Chicago 1741 (HD) CSN Chicago + 1742 (HD) |
Comcast SportsNet Chicago (CSN Chicago) is a member of the Comcast SportsNet network of regional sports networks that covers local sports teams in the Chicago area.
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CSN Chicago is jointly owned by NBCUniversal (20%), the family of J. Joseph Ricketts (owner of the Cubs, 20%), Jerry Reinsdorf (owner of the both the Bulls and the White Sox, giving him a 40% stake), and Rocky Wirtz (owner of the Chicago Blackhawks, 20%). The channel airs a majority of games for those four teams. It also carries games for the AFL Chicago Rush, Chicago Fire S.C., and the NIU Huskies football. Although WCIU and WGN-TV carry many Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks and Bulls games, Comcast SportsNet Chicago was created so the teams mentioned could have editorial control over their broadcasts, unlike the past 'produced by' arrangements with the now-defunct FSN Chicago. All games of the major Chicago sports teams on CSN Chicago are broadcast in high definition.
In the Chicago area, Comcast operates an unrelated separate Comcast Network, a general entertainment channel that also airs the entire schedule of the AHL's Chicago Wolves.
On April 2, 2007, it was announced that the Tribune Company will be selling both their shares in CSN Chicago and the Chicago Cubs at the end of 2007.
On March 30, 2008, the Blackhawks announced that all of their games, both home and away, would be televised, in high definition, with the bulk of the games going to CSN Chicago, and others being broadcast on WGN-TV. The Blackhawks package is exclusively local however, and is not seen on the national WGN America superstation.
CSN Chicago, along with the other Comcast SportsNet branded networks, was revamped with a new network logo and graphics package on October 1, 2008, the fourth anniversary of its launch.
On January 5, 2009, Comcast SportsNet Chicago launched a morning talk show with former radio host of WSCR Mike North and Comcast SportsNet Chicago reporter and former Chicago Bear Dan Jiggetts called Monsters in the Morning. However the program ended at the start of 2010 due to the problems involving the show, including the program's main sponsor being implicated in defrauding North, Jiggetts and others in a money laundering scheme in mid-2009.[1] The program then continued until the start of 2010, with North moving on to host the Monsters and Money in the Morning program for WBBM-TV (Channel 2).
On April 13, 2010, CSN Chicago announced a deal with the Major League Soccer franchise Chicago Fire S.C. to broadcast a minimum of eight matches in the 2010 season.
As a result of the displacement of FSN Chicago by the network, CSN Chicago additionally broadcasts FSN's national programming, notably including the network's coverage of collegiate sports, such as ACC men's and women's basketball on Sundays, Pac-10 basketball on various nights, plus Big 12 and Pac-10 football on Saturdays during their respective seasons.
The channel has several conflicting sports events, so it uses alternate channels when more than one team plays simultaneously also some time used to show FSN and other college sports:
Comcast SportsNet Chicago Plus typically airs in the cable slot of CLTV on Comcast systems in the Chicagoland area. Its HD channel is used as a help channel on Comcast systems when there is no sports event on CSN +.
Comcast SportsNet Plus 2 is an additional, SD-only alternate channel.
Every Year since 1987, CSN Chicago (and FSN Chicago/Sports Channel Chicago before them) Hosts an award show to raise money for the March of Dimes.The honorees included top athletes from Chicago's professional teams, who were chosen based on their contributions to their teams and the Chicago community. To date, the "Sports Awards" has raised over $6 million for the charity.
The 2011 awards were
The awards were:
CSN Chicago has many segments during SportsNite including
CSN Chicago had fans e-mail in suggestions on what their new mascot's name should be. Fans then had to vote for the top names and "Deep Dish" won. The name "Deep Dish" is a Chicago style pizza that is very popular. Deep Dish is a white and brown Bulldog and the new CSN Chicago slogan is "Fans Best Friend".
Comcast SportsNet Chicago HD is a 1080i high definition simulcast of Comcast SportsNet Chicago. It shows all Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks, and Chicago Bulls games in HD, as well as all studio shows.