Chicago Bulls unite with White Sox and Blackhawks to launch new sports network and shake up broadcasting landscape
THE Chicago Bulls will work with Blackhawks and White Sox to launch a brand-new sports TV network.
The trio of Chicago sports teams will shake up the broadcasting landscape starting in the fall.
It was revealed on Monday that the Chicago Sports Network (CHSN) will be set in motion in October.
TV viewers will get to see the Blackhawks and Bulls' preseason games, while the White Sox will make their debut in 2025.
The network announced it all air more than 300 live Blackhawks, Bulls, and White Sox games annually as well as pre-and postgame coverage and multisport programming 24 hours a day.
Since 2004, NBC Sports Chicago has been the TV home to the trio and the Chicago Cubs.
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In 2019, the Clubs split from NBC Sports Chicago to form their own regional sports network with Sinclair Broadcast Group.
The Blackhawks, Bulls, and White Sox signed a five-year extension deal with NBC Sports in that same year.
That contract will expire on October 1.
CHSN will be a joint venture between the franchises and Standard Media, a Nashville, Tennessee-based private company that owns local TV stations in four states.
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The Chicago Tribune first reported the impending deal last month.
The regional sports network is in the process of receiving consent from each of the affiliated pro sports leagues to be the TV home of the Blackhawks, Bulls, and White Sox.
The press release revealed that Jason Coyle will be CHSN's CEO.
He previously served as CEO of Stadium which is a Chicago-based online sports TV network.
White Sox and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf purchased a controlling ownership stake in Stadium from Sinclair in 2023.
Both of his owned teams have been disappointing in recent memory.
His White Sox have the worst record in the MLB and his Bulls have made the playoffs just once in the last seven seasons.
Still, his Bulls are the fifth-most valuable NBA franchise and are worth $4.56 billion, per Sportico.
The Blackhawks, meanwhile, have a rising star in 2023 No. 1 overall pick Conor Bedard.
However, the team hasn't made the first round of the playoffs since 2016 and had the second-worst record in 2023.
The Blackhawks' longtime CEO Rocky Wirtz also died unexpectedly last summer.
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The Athletic reported that the Blackhawks were interested in their broadcast network.
They will instead be broadcast on CHSN.