NBC Sports Chicago To Provide Pre-, Postgame Shows For All Blackhawks Games

NBC Sports Chicago has "committed to presenting live pregame and postgame shows" for every Blackhawks game this season, even those not carried on the RSN, beginning with tomorrow's season-opener against the Penguins, according to Phil Rosenthal of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. The net has 48 regular-season games "plus two more on NBC Sports Chicago-plus." Its wraparound coverage will be "available on NBCSCH for the 20 Hawks games" set for WGN-TV, in addition to 11 games on NBCSN and the March 11 national broadcast on NBC. This is a way to show a "commitment" to the Blackhawks, which are "part owners of the channel." It also may help "bring attention to the rebranding of the channel among viewers" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 10/3). In Chicago, Robert Feder noted BTN's Michelle McMahon will cover Blackhawks hockey over "multiple platforms this season" for NBCSCH. McMahon will "report on every home game (including those that aren’t carried on NBC Sports Chicago) and contribute to the network’s Blackhawks podcast" (ROBERTFEDER.com, 10/3).