After months of speculation, the Chicago Bulls, Blackhawks, and White Sox have announced the launch of a new regional sports network.
The Chicago Sports Network will launch in October with Bulls and Blackhawks games before the White Sox make their debut on the new channel next April when the 2025 MLB season gets underway, according to Sportico‘s Daniel Libit.
The new network will be a joint venture between the teams and Nashville-based Standard Media. Standard owns four local network affiliates in three markets around the country, but this marks their first attempt at launching a regional sports network.
Since 2004, the teams have played the majority of their games on NBC Sports Chicago, with Chicago’s WGN-TV also retaining the rights to a handful of games each season. In 2019, the Cubs left NBC Sports Chicago and WGN to launch the Marquee Network with Sinclair, and the other three teams signed five-year exclusivity extensions with NBC Sports Chicago, ending a 70+ year streak of WGN airing live sports.
Any new regional sports network will require the consent of each participating league. A spokesman noted to Sportico that “the leagues have approved everything thus far,” but didn’t expand on what, if any, steps remain.
Sportico also notes that Jason Coyle, former CEO of Stadium (who many thought would be the new partner instead of Standard Media), will serve as CEO of Chicago Sports Network.
[Sportico]
