Tribune Co. Enticing Bidders With Prospect Of All-Cubs Network

Tribune Co. Pitching Concept Of All- Cubs Network To Potential Bidders

A new channel that would be "devoted to the Cubs is one of the enticing potential revenue-generating items that Tribune Co. is floating" as part of the company's prospective sale of the Cubs, Wrigley Field and its 25% stake in Comcast SportsNet (CSN), according to Ameet Sachdev of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. After CSN's rights to broadcast Cubs games expires in 2019, a new owner "could create a new sports network dedicated to the Cubs," an idea that is a "tempting prospect, considering the size of the Chicago media market, the popularity of the Cubs and the success of other [RSNs] in large markets." However, such future media opportunities "may have their limits," as a Cubs-only channel "would lack the winter programming" provided by the Bulls and Blackhawks. And if Comcast is "not a partner in a future network, a new owner would have to negotiate distribution rights" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 7/16).