Official “BATTLE OF THE FANS” brackets to be unveiled on CSN’s “High School Lites” Friday, February 17 at 11:00 PM CT
Fans are urged to vote for their favorite Illinois high school student section in a 64-team bracket beginning at 12 NOON CT on Tuesday, February 21 at CSNChicago.com/Battle
Chicago, IL (February 13, 2017) -- CSN Chicago (CSN), the home of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) State Championships, has announced the launch of a brand new online tournament entitled “Battle of the Fans,” which will enable fans to determine the state’s most wildly-enthusiastic and creative high school student section.
Resembling the popular 64-team bracket format, also seen during last year’s popular “Mascot Madness” contest, which determined the state’s top high school sports nickname, the official 2017 “Battle of the Fans” brackets featuring high schools from around the state, will be announced on the network’s long-running weekly Illinois preps sports highlights program, High School Lites, on Friday, February 17 at 11:00 PM CT (also streaming live on CSNChicago.com).
Beginning Tuesday, February 21 at 12 NOON CT, fans can begin casting their first round vote by visiting the network’s dedicated “Battle of the Fans” page -- CSNChicago.com/Battle -- with the first round poll closing on Thursday, February 23 at 4:00 PM. For the remaining four weeks, as the brackets shrink to 32, 16 and 8, fans are urged to start voting on Mondays starting at 12 NOON with the weekly polls closing at 4:00 PM on Thursdays. Viewers can check out the weekly results every Friday night on High School Lites or by simply visiting CSNChicago.com/Battle.
IMPORTANT NOTE: There will not be any “seeds” associated with teams in the “Battle of the Fans” tournament. Match-ups in each of the four pre-determined regions are strictly based on similar school enrollment numbers. The four regional champions will be unveiled on the CSN’s official preps Twitter handle (@CSNPreps) on Thursday, March 16 at 4:00 PM. CSN will present a special award to each of the four champion schools shortly after the conclusion of the “Battle of the Fans” contest.
From a social media standpoint, fans are encouraged to offer up their support and comments for their favorite Illinois high school student section by utilizing the Twitter hashtag #BattleOfTheFans. In addition, fans are urged to follow and visit @CSNPreps for daily updates and the latest information on not only the “Battle of the Fans” tournament, but also for the very latest IHSA news, scores, and more 24/7.
CSN 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 numerous entertaining local sports discussion/social media-focused programs via In the Loop 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, and standout coverage from CSNChicago.com’s team of “Insiders.” Follow the network on Twitter via @CSNChicago.
NBC Sports Regional Networks is NBC Sports Group’s portfolio of nine regional networks that delivers more than 2,200 live sporting events annually and original content to more than 43 million homes. Aligned within network groups in the East and West, the NBC Sports Regional Networks are: CSN New England, CSN Philadelphia, TCN, CSN Mid-Atlantic, SNY; and CSN Bay Area, CSN California, CSN Chicago, and CSN Northwest. For additional information, visit ComcastSportsNet.com. For more information on NBC Sports Group properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios, headshots and logos, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.
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