The Blackhawks, White Sox, Bulls and NBC Sports Chicago will have equal ownership in the new dealGETTY IMAGES
The Bulls, White Sox and Blackhawks have "reached a new deal to remain television partners with NBC Sports Chicago," according to sources cited by Chicago-based WSCR-AM. The three teams and NBC Sports Chicago will have an "equal ownership stake in the new deal," which will begin in October '19, after the "current deal between the Bulls, White Sox, Blackhawks, Cubs and NBC Sports Chicago expires." The new contract is for "five years." The Cubs are "splitting apart on their own television venture," which is expected to begin in February '20 to "open a new season." The Cubs, Bulls, White Sox and Blackhawks "teamed up with Comcast SportsNet Chicago, since rebranded as NBC Sports Chicago," back in '04, "putting an abundance of games on cable" (670THESCORE.com, 12/18).
MARQUEE ATTRACTION: In Chicago, Jeff Agrest notes the Cubs' RSN will be "called Marquee" in partnership with Sinclair Broadcast Group. It is "unclear how many games the Cubs will carry on their network." Many still will be "available nationally on Fox and ESPN" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 12/19). THE ATHLETIC's Jon Greenberg noted in recent years, Sinclair has "become known nationwide for its right-wing political slant as a company and forcing its individual TV stations to air hard-right commentary." While some of the Ricketts family is "heavily involved in conservative politics," a source said that any Cubs TV partnership "would be for distribution, not content." The name Marquee "would be fitting because of the famous, landmarked marquee outside of Wrigley Field." In '17, the Ricketts family "created a holding company Marquee Sports & Entertainment." The Cubs hired former MSG Network exec Mike McCarthy as a "consultant over the summer." The Cubs have also been "ramping up Cubs Productions, an in-house operation that gets the kind of unique behind-the-scenes access a local TV station could only dream about." One question that will "arise is who gets the on-air talent" (THEATHLETIC.com, 12/18).
