A New "Stadium" for the Bulls, Blackhawks & White Sox?
Posted by ABRockNJock on April 15, 2024, 10:23 pm
According to Sun-Times' TV/Radio Sports Columnist Jeff Agrest, it appears as if the Bulls, Blackhawks & White Sox may soon have a new TV home in the coming months.
It's not quite a done deal just yet, but all indications point towards the Bulls, Hawks & Sox relocating from NBC Sports Chicago to a revamped Stadium Network.
Although the teams' deal with NBCSC expires in October, there's talk about the teams signing a 6 month extension with their current TV home and then relocating to Stadium when the Sox take the field next spring.
Stadium Network already has offices & studios inside the United Center. They also have a streaming platform already in place & could conceivably offer a direct to consumer service via its app.
Bulls & White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf took over majority control of Stadium, the former 120 Sports, last spring. Reinsdorf launched the platform with Sinclair Broadcast Group in 2017 to help supply Bally Sports' regionals with non-game programming. When Sinclair offloaded the RSNs to Diamond Sports Group, it didn't need Stadium anymore. At the same time, when Reinsdorf took over majority control of Stadium, it raised some eyebrows regarding moving his teams off NBCSC.
Based on the Agrest story, despite declining cable viewership & increasing use of streaming, it appears as if the end is near for NBC Sports Chicago and the 3 teams that had aired their games might soon have a new home.
An official announcement could come later this week.