Chicago’s two regional sports networks might just join forces amid an ongoing dispute with the city’s largest pay-TV provider, Comcast.
According to a report by John Ourand of Puck, a merger between Chicago Sports Network (the current home of the Bulls, Blackhawks, and White Sox) and Marquee Sports Network (home of the Cubs) has apparently been floated based on language present in Chicago Sports Network’s recent carriage agreement with DirecTV.
Currently, the recently launched Chicago Sports Network remains dark on Chicago’s largest distributor, Comcast, over disputes about pricing and tiering. Comcast would like to include the channel on its most expensive tier, something Chicago Sports Network leadership has met with resistance. Ourand also reports that pricing for the channel remains a key issue.
However, Marquee’s minority owner Sinclair also finds itself in a bind with Comcast at the moment, attempting to negotiate new agreements for the regional sports network as well as its local TV stations. Hence, a combined entity could prove to increase both networks’ leverage against the distributor.
Per Ourand, “Chatter about a potential merger between Marquee and CSN has only grown louder in recent weeks. Sinclair, which owns a minority stake in Marquee, has been trying to work out a deal with Comcast to replace the contract that expired at the end of baseball season. At the same time, Sinclair is negotiating a new Comcast deal for its local TV stations.”
Marquee, along with Sinclair’s other local TV stations, have yet to go dark on Comcast though they “are now operating under an extension.” Comcast, similarly to its goal with Chicago Sports Network, wants to place Marquee on its most expensive tier.
It’s unclear whether a merger would actually result in a more favorable deal with Comcast, but it certainly makes sense on paper. For now, Comcast customers in the Chicago area are still unable to watch Bulls and Blackhawks games well into their respective seasons.
[Puck]