FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 28th, 2013
COMCAST SPORTSNET CHICAGO KICKS OFF UNPRECEDENTED APRIL SCHEDULE OF LIVE BLACKHAWKS, BULLS, CUBS & WHITE SOX ACTION
Starting Monday, April 1, CSN to carry over 45 Live Pro Game Telecasts, over 200 Live Studio Shows, totaling over 117 Hours of Live News & Surrounding Game Coverage in just 30 days
Chicago, IL (March 28, 2013) – The highly-anticipated sports month of April is right around the corner and Chicago fans are in for a HUGE treat as Comcast SportsNet is ready to deliver over 45 LIVE pro game telecasts, featuring the playoff push stretch runs of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks and NBA’s Chicago Bulls, plus the always-exciting start of the 2013 MLB season featuring the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox. In addition, the network will carry over 200 LIVE sports news/talk shows and surrounding pre/post game coverage throughout thirty of the most exciting days on the local sports calendar.
“As a regional sports network that has the privilege of carrying live, professional sports telecasts throughout the entire year, this April will once again be our biggest month with all four of our pro team partners in action,” said James J. Corno, President of Comcast SportsNet Chicago. “To be able to deliver close to 50 live pro game telecasts in April, along with over 200 live pre & post-game shows and live sports news & talk programming, is simply a thrill for us and we’re looking forward to bringing Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox fans the comprehensive and expert coverage they’ve come to expect from us all month long.”
The pro team game telecast breakdown of Comcast SportsNet’s packed month of April currently features 45 live games, which includes 11 Blackhawks, five Bulls, 14 Cubs & 15 White Sox telecasts. IMPORTANT NOTE: This current total does not include the network’s first round schedule of Blackhawks and Bulls playoff games, which will likely push the network total to over 50 live pro game telecasts in April. Exact playoff game schedules will be announced upon the conclusion of both teams’ respective regular seasons.
In addition to its current line-up of 45 live pro game telecasts, Comcast SportsNet is also scheduled to carry over 200 live studio shows — 77 editions of Pre-Game Live and Post Game Live for the Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox, 107 live editions of SportsNet Central and 21 live airings of SportsTalk Live (featuring expanded discussion around April’s NFL Draft), which will wind up totaling more than 117 hours of live surrounding game coverage and live sports news & talk show programming in April alone. In fact, during the first seven days of the month (Apr. 1-7), CSN will produce and deliver 13 live pro game telecasts (four Blackhawks, three Bulls, three Cubs and three White Sox), 24 editions of Pre/Post Game Live, 25 live airings of SportsNet Central and four editions of SportsTalk Live.
The month of April kicks off in a big way on Comcast SportsNet as the network will carry NINE-STRAIGHT HOURS of live, local sports coverage on Monday, April 1 beginning with the 2013 White Sox HOME/SEASON OPENER against the AL Central division rival Kansas City Royals (coverage begins at 2:00 PM with an expanded, LIVE REMOTE Opening Day edition of Subaru White Sox Pre-Game Live from U.S. Cellular Field). The game will be immediately followed by an expanded edition of White Sox Post Game Live, also taking place live from U.S. Cellular Field. Following SportsNet Central presented by AT&T U-verse at 6:30 PM, the network will carry live coverage of the Blackhawks hosting the division rival Nashville Predators from the United Center (coverage begins with Chevy Blackhawks Pre-Game Live at 7:00 PM, face-off at 7:30 PM; Blackhawks Post Game Live presented by Hawk Ford and GMC SportsNet Central will immediately follow the game).
Other April “premieres” for Comcast SportsNet’s pro team partners include the Bulls at Washington on Tue, Apr. 2 (tip-off at 6:00 PM), along with the network’s first Cubs telecast of the 2013 MLB season on Wed, Apr. 3 at Pittsburgh (first pitch coverage at 6:00 PM).
Plus – fans are urged to visit CSNChicago.com 24/7 for up-to-the-minute breaking Chicago sports news, web exclusive videos, “Insider” reports, talent blogs, “Pulse” social media pages, “In-Game Live” second screen game experiences, game previews/recaps, stats, standings and much more. Fans can also follow Comcast SportsNet Chicago on Twitter @CSNChicago and on Facebook (facebook.com/CSNChicago).
NBC Sports Regional Networks, part of the NBC Sports Group, consists of 13 local networks that deliver more than 2,400 sporting events annually, along with breaking news and comprehensive analysis, to more than 50 million cable and satellite homes. The NBC Sports Regional Networks are: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Comcast SportsNet California, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Comcast SportsNet Houston, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, Comcast SportsNet New England, Comcast SportsNet Northwest, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, CSS and SNY. NBC Sports Regional Networks also manages NECN (New England Cable News), the nation’s largest regional news network, and The Comcast Network, based in Philadelphia and Washington, which delivers community-oriented programming. For more information, visit CSNChicago.com or ComcastSportNet.com. For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.
