October 1, 2024

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Good morning. The new Chicago Sports Network is launching with the Blackhawks, Bulls, and White Sox—all of whom have struggled for years. It’s also navigating a difficult RSN environment. So why this, and why now?

— Eric Fisher [[link removed]]and Colin Salao [[link removed]]

New Chicago RSN Features 3 Losing Teams. What’s the Plan? [[link removed]]

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The new Chicago Sports Network (CHSN) is the realization of a business plan based on creating a regional sports network in a period of accelerating market decline, and doing so with three pro teams that are currently among the worst in their respective leagues.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster, right? CHSN’s leaders insist it’s anything but, and Tuesday’s debut of the RSN marks an intent to buck prevailing market trends and serve the Chicago market in a way it hasn’t been before.

CHSN formally begins Tuesday night with an exhibition game of the NHL’s Blackhawks, kicking off a coverage plan featuring that team, the NBA’s Bulls, and MLB’s White Sox starting with the 2025 season. Originally announced in June [[link removed]], CHSN marks a significant step by Jerry Reinsdorf, Bulls and White Sox owner, to take greater control of his local media fortunes.

Reinsdorf struck agreements with Tennessee-based Standard Media and the Wirtz family who owns the Blackhawks to form the CHSN joint venture, which will succeed NBC Sports Chicago. That Comcast-controlled entity had shown the three teams since 2004, and it is now shutting down.

“I get asked ‘why now?’ a lot in various ways,” Jason Coyle, the former Stadium president serving in the same role for CHSN, tells Front Office Sports. “What I find myself saying is, ‘Give us a chance. Drop in on any day, and see what we do.’ We’re going about trying to tell everyone that we’re different, and then show them.”

Distribution Matters

CHSN does not have a carriage agreement with Comcast, a dominant entity in the Chicago area, and as talks continue between the two sides, that situation will be closely watched. If a deal is struck there, it’s likely that CHSN will be placed on a more premium tier, similar to how Comcast has treated other RSNs around the country, including those owned by Diamond Sports Group.

The new RSN, however, does have distribution deals with DirecTV, now merging with Dish Network, [[link removed]] and AT&T’s U-verse. Industry sources said another deal with Astound (formerly RCN) is imminent. CHSN also will be prioritizing over-the-air availability also increasing in favor with teams leaving the traditional RSN environment.

“We see an opportunity to start over and try to develop a different type of model,” Coyle says.

Local Focus

In addition to core game coverage of the three pro teams, CHSN will feature extensive pregame and postgame coverage based in part from a new atrium studio at the United Center, home of the Bulls and Blackhawks. A similar setup is being developed for the White Sox’ Guaranteed Rate Field. In both locales, the idea is to capture on camera a fan energy not unlike what’s seen on ESPN’s College GameDay.

CHSN’s studio programming, meanwhile, will include a battery of original content and seek a deep focus on all parts of the Chicago sports market, including high school competition. A network cornerstone will be The Chicago Lead, a nightly show featuring a variety of news, features, and analysis—and often act as the direct lead-in into team-specific pregame coverage.

“This is purpose-built for the Chicago market,” Coyle says. “Even down to the name. ‘Chicago’ hasn’t been front and center in the names of many of the other channels here. But there’s going to be a lot of custom-built programming tailored specifically to this market.”

As for the teams, the White Sox just set a modern-era MLB record for losses in a season. The Bulls have not won a playoff series since 2015 and have been in the postseason just once in the last seven years, and the Blackhawks have an active non-playoff streak going into its fifth season.

Chicago’s other RSN, Marquee Sports Network, remains in operation and is centered on its coverage of MLB’s Cubs and the WNBA’s Sky.

EXCLUSIVE

Could Schefter Succeed Woj?

Adam Schefter is ESPN’s most high-profile reporter. Could the network’s senior NFL insider add even more to his plate?

Michael McCarthy exclusively reports that Schefter is a candidate to succeed Adrian Wojnarowski as ESPN’s senior NBA insider, potentially doing both jobs. Read the full story here. [[link removed]]

You can also subscribe to our new “Tuned In” sports media newsletter, which would arrive in your inbox twice weekly, right here. [[link removed]]

Knicks-Timberwolves Trade Showcases Impact of New CBA [[link removed]]

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Timberwolves, following their first conference finals appearance in 20 years, traded away four-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns. And salary-cap management played a massive role in the decision.

On Friday, The Athletic reported Minnesota was trading Towns to the Knicks for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a protected first-round pick (via the Pistons). Towns is set to make $220 million over the next four years.

The T-Wolves—who are still entering this season with the league’s second-highest payroll—would have paid nearly $150 million to just Towns, Anthony Edwards, and Rudy Gobert in each of the next two seasons.

Randle and DiVincenzo each have smaller and shorter contracts and could be used as trade pieces down the line. Their deals also offer the Wolves a better chance to get below the league’s dreaded second apron after this year.

What Are the Second Apron Penalties?

The NBA instituted its new CBA in 2023—which came with two different figures above the salary cap, called aprons. If teams were to pass those marks, they were set to face penalties, with the second apron, naturally, including more severe punishments.

It will be much harder for second-apron teams to make trades, as they will not be allowed to use trade exceptions to ensure matching salaries. They will also be stripped of the taxpayer mid-level exception, a free-agency option that many top teams use to add additional roster depth. (For example, the Nuggets used this to sign Dario Šarić.)

Perhaps the most damaging penalty is that teams that pass the second apron for three out of five seasons will have their first-round pick automatically moved to the end of the round.

Another Philosophy

The Wolves were serious contenders who defeated the defending champion Nuggets last year, so running back the same core made sense in a wide-open Western Conference. While the team would sacrifice future roster flexibility and potentially incur massive fees, some front offices or ownership groups would argue a championship heals all wounds.

That’s what some in Boston seem to feel.

In 2025–2026, Boston is expected to pay a record $500 million for its payroll, with more than half of the charges coming from tax penalties. The fees have reportedly divided ownership [[link removed]] and were a driver in the decision to put the team up for sale.

“With the new CBA and the penalties that are associated with it … I think that those are all things that we have to be super aware of,” Brad Stevens, Celtics president of basketball operations, said at the team’s media day last week. “We need to just keep doing what we’re doing, and business as usual, and do what you can to build the best team that we can and see what happens from there.”

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FRONT OFFICE SPORTS TODAY MLB Eyes Dream World Series

FOS illustration

The MLB playoffs arrive after a regular-season finish that essentially produced an extra playoff day and plenty of finger-pointing around Monday’s Mets-Braves doubleheader, which culminated in both teams reaching the postseason and the Diamondbacks being left out. The league, meanwhile, could see a dream World Series matchup between the Yankees and Dodgers, which would feature its biggest markets and most marketable stars.

We also hear from MLB legend Tommy John about his 26-year career, the state of MLB pitching, and his bid for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Watch, listen, and subscribe on Apple [[link removed]], Spotify [[link removed]], and YouTube [[link removed]].

LOUD AND CLEAR Commanding a Profit

Brad Mills-Imagn Images

“Washington is a top-quartile franchise in the NFL. If you just do the right thing, you know you’re going to make money in those franchises.”

—Josh Harris, the Commanders’ controlling owner, told Forbes regarding his decision to assemble an ownership group [[link removed]] that purchased the franchise for an NFL-record $6.05 billion [[link removed]] in 2023 from Dan Snyder. He believes the team’s valuation will only rise considering the billions teams receive from the league’s media-rights deal, which he expects will grow again following a contract negotiation in 2029. Harris, who also owns the NBA’s 76ers and NHL’s Devils, recognizes there are several other revenue streams for sports franchises, and he’s invested millions to improve its current stadium [[link removed]] while exploring plans to build a new one.

The Commanders finished 4–13 last season, the first year under Harris’s ownership. In the offseason, the team brought in Adam Peters as the new GM, hired Dan Quinn as head coach, and drafted quarterback Jayden Daniels with the second pick in the draft. They have a 3–1 record and sit atop the NFC East to start the 2024 season.

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS AWARDS

Last Chance to Submit

Front Office Sports has partnered with Sports Innovation Lab to honor organizations making a significant impact in the business of sports.

The Most Impactful Award [[link removed]] celebrates organizations that leverage their power and platform to create positive change beyond generating revenue and expanding their business. These companies understand the importance of investing in people, communities, and causes to reach their full potential.

Consideration for this award is inclusive of:

DEI initiatives Youth sports programs Education programs Voter registration and voter access programs Community outreach Foundation work and charitable fundraising Messaging and communications

Submit now [[link removed]] or by Oct. 6 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Conversation Starters White Sox owner Jerry Reindsorf released a letter to fans after his team set the record for most losses in a season in the modern era. Take a look [[link removed]]. Kentucky’s “Big Blue Madness” event on Oct. 11 will have a full LED video court, a first in college basketball. Check it out [[link removed]]. Utah Hockey Club announced plans for “fan-friendly concessions,” in which some food and beverage items will cost just $2 and $3. The Jazz, who share the Delta Center with the Hockey Club, will also offer similar prices. View the menu [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks MLB Says It Will Reverse Two Widely Hated Uniform Changes [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]Some jerseys will go back to regular font and number size from 2023. The Padres’ Future Is on the Line This Postseason [[link removed]]by Owen Poindexter [[link removed]]The MLB playoffs could determine the team’s path forward. Clippers Will Run California’s Only Bar Open Until 4 a.m. [[link removed]]by Margaret Fleming [[link removed]]Selling alcohol is illegal past 2 a.m. in California, but not at the Intuit Dome. Question of the Day

Have you unsubscribed from a regional sports network strictly because a team you follow was no longer competitive?

YES [[link removed]] NO [[link removed]]

Monday’s result: Only 31% of respondents said they like “Monday Night Football” doubleheaders.

Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Podcast [[link removed]] Written by Eric Fisher [[link removed]], Colin Salao [[link removed]], David Rumsey [[link removed]] Edited by Or Moyal [[link removed]], Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

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