The Bears and CBS Radio Chicago yesterday announced an exclusive multiyear deal to keep the team’s radio broadcast rights on WBBM-AM and WCKG-FM while extending the Bears coverage across CBS Radio’s five other Chicago stations. WBBM has been the radio home of the Bears since ’00. The deal will see all CBS Radio Chicago stations feature a segment with a Bears player every Monday morning during the season. Additionally, WSCR-AM’s “Bears All-Access” will become a year-round weekly program and a short Bears vignette will be broadcast Saturday evenings on WSCR and replayed on WBBM and WCKG through Sunday morning (Bears). In Chicago, Danny Ecker reported the Bears will have the “ability to launch a team radio station” on WCKG’s HD3 channel. HD3 is a “separate broadcasting channel for those with HD radio receivers.” The White Sox have a “similar option in their broadcast deal with CBS Radio, which could one day serve as a new source of revenue.” However, like most other pro teams, the White Sox are “waiting for broader HD radio adoption to make a team station financially viable” (CHICAGOBUSINESS.com, 10/24).
