Chicago, IL (October 28, 2015) – Comcast SportsNet, the television home for the most games and most comprehensive coverage of the Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox, today officially announced the hiring of sportscaster Leila Rahimi as its newest on-air talent member for the network’s signature nightly sports news program, SportsNet Central. Rahimi will primarily handle anchoring duties, along with providing a variety of local professional, collegiate and high school sports feature reports. In addition, Rahimi, who will begin her on-air duties Thursday night (Oct. 29) on Comcast SportsNet, will also participate in a variety of digital initiatives that will be showcased on CSNChicago.com. The announcement was made by Kevin Cross, Senior Director of News & Original Content for Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
“Leila joins us with a deep knowledge of the regional sports network business, along with a true passion for the local sports scene,” said Cross. “Her acclaimed experience in our industry will certainly benefit both our network and our viewers. Leila will be a terrific addition to our stellar talent line-up.”
Rahimi most recently was an anchor/host/reporter at Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, where she anchored SportsNet Central and provided field reports for the Phillies (MLB), Eagles (NFL), Flyers (NHL), 76ers (NBA), along with Villanova and Temple from a collegiate standpoint. Plus, she also hosted magazine-style programs for the regional sports network. In addition, Rahimi was also recently an anchor/host for the MLB Network’s Strike Zone Channel, which provides commercial-free whip-around coverage of live games from around the league.
Prior to her time in Philadelphia, Rahimi served as an anchor, reporter, sideline reporter and host at Comcast SportsNet Houston (2012-14) where provided sideline/beat reporting duties for the network’s Rockets basketball and Astros baseball telecasts, along with hosting pre/postgame shows, anchoring SportsNet Central, and hosting an hour-long, weekly high school football show. A multiple Emmy-award nominee, Rahimi covered numerous large-scale events, including the Rockets’ trip to Asia for the 2014 NBA Global Games and the 2013 MLB All-Star Game in New York.
Rahimi also served as the field reporter for Fox Sports San Diego’s Padres baseball telecasts in 2012, along with producing/hosting a weekly Padres magazine-style program. From 2007-12, she was a sports reporter at KXAN-TV, the NBC affiliate in Austin, TX, covering the University of Texas and local high schools. Additional stops along Rahimi’s career path included a producing, then reporting role at Fox Sports Southwest in Dallas, TX, along with sports reporter/anchor duties at KXII-TV, the CBS affiliate in Sherman, TX. Earlier in her career, Rahimi also spent four years as an update anchor/reporter at Sports Radio 1130 AM, “The Ticket,” in Dallas.
Rahimi, a native of Denton, TX, graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Texas with a degree in journalism.
Comcast SportsNet Chicago, a partnership between the Chicago Blackhawks (NHL), Chicago Bulls (NBA), Chicago Cubs (MLB), Chicago White Sox (MLB) and the NBC Sports Group, features over 275 live pro games in high definition each year. In addition, CSN delivers extensive pre/post-game coverage for its core pro team partners, as well as the Chicago Bears, along with Emmy Award-winning regional sports news and analysis via SportsNet Central and SportsTalk Live. Through the network’s growing digital platform, CSNChicago.com, Chicago sports fans tap into the most comprehensive and dedicated 24/7 online destination for breaking news, up-to-the-minute game previews/recaps, highlights, multimedia video clips, blogs and standout coverage from CSNChicago.com’s team of “Insiders.” Follow the network on Twitter via @CSNChicago.
NBC Sports Regional Networks, part of the NBC Sports Group, consist of 11 regional networks that deliver more than 2,400 live sporting events annually, along with award-winning breaking news, comprehensive analysis, digital content and original programming to more than 43 million homes. The NBC Sports Regional Networks are: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Comcast SportsNet California, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, which serves Baltimore and Washington D.C., Comcast SportsNet New England, Comcast SportsNet Northwest, The Comcast Network, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia and SportsNet New York. For more information, visit ComcastSportsNet.com. For more information about NBC Sports Group properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.
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