When the Bulls and Blackhawks return to the United Center this fall, they’ll do so on a brand-new TV network – The “Chicago Sports Network” (CHSN).
A release Monday morning by the Bulls announced they would be joining the Blackhawks and White Sox in switching to the new network, which “will deliver more than 300 live Blackhawks, Bulls and Sox games annually.” CHSN is set to launch in October during the Blackhawks and Bulls preseason, and will carry White Sox games beginning at the start of their 2025 season.
The news comes after early rumors that the teams could be working on a deal with Stadium, the sports network based in Chicago. The organization’s president, Jason Coyle, was appointed president of the new network.
NBC Sports Chicago is set to lose regional broadcast rights for all three teams in October, which is why the teams are now jumping ship. It’s unclear which fan-favorite personalities will cross over from the old network. While names like Stacey King and Adam Amin work for the team, not NBC Sports Chicago, the same can’t be said for personalities like Charlie Roumeliotis, Pat Boyle, Jason Goff, and more. CHSN said in its release that it is “in the midst of building out its staff and has begun hiring,” and retaining those familiar faces will likely be a top priority.
The network hasn’t yet announced which providers it will be part of, but did mention that it will be available in a widespread fashion.
“The network will launch with agreements in place with traditional cable providers, streaming services and be available via free, over-the-air broadcast.”
– News release via Bulls.com
While not featuring the same teams, history isn’t exactly on Chicago’s side when it comes to completing these deals drama-free. Many fans recall a drama-filled July in 2020 that saw Comcast reach a deal to carry the Cubs’ Marquee Sports Network just hours before the team’s home opener in the pandemic-shortened campaign.
With plenty of questions still to be answered over the next four months, CHSN promised to provide “continued announcements through the summer as distribution and other agreements are finalized.” While the nature of the changes is yet to be determined, it’s safe to say the way we watch the three Chicago teams is about to change.
