Judging by the e-mail, there has been plenty of hyperventilation over the new Comcast Sports Net. Especially by owners of satellite television packages like DirecTV.
Those viewers are concerned they will be left in the dark when the new outlet debuts on Oct. 1. Having a million channels won’t mean a thing if they don’t have the one that will air Cubs, White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks games.
Comcast Sports Net basically takes the place of Fox Sports Net as Chicago’s sports cable outlet.
Well, don’t panic yet. According to Jim Corno, senior vice president and general manager of Comcast Sports Net, talks are going on with “everyone.”
“We expect we’ll have major new affiliation agreements within the next two weeks,” Corno said.
That would seem to indicate there will be a deal with the major satellite operators. According to industry sources, the Chicago teams who are partners in the new network wouldn’t enter into the agreement without having satellite access.
On the cable side, subscribers to Comcast don’t have any concerns.
Other cable companies within the Chicago area also are expected to be in the fold by the launch date.
“I can’t guarantee that everyone in Chicago who has Fox Sports Net will have us on Oct. 1,” Corno said. “But we’re confident most of them will be on board. We believe everyone will be affiliated no later than January.”
Beyond the Chicago area, it might take a bit longer for cable companies throughout Illinois and the Midwest to pick up Comcast Sports Net.
Corno said some outlets might lag behind by as much as a year.
“Individual cable companies might have budget issues that need to be resolved,” Corno said.
If you’re in doubt, call your provider. And if you are shut out for a while, remember, there’s always radio.
No Hawks
Live games will be the core of Comcast Sports Net programming, but the impending NHL strike is expected to keep the Blackhawks off the air for a while. Comcast, though, is considering broadcasting eight Bulls exhibition games leading up to the season opener.
All NFL
The NFL Network is starting to expand its reach. The 24-hour pro football channel has signed a deal to be on Comcast’s digital platform. If you have Comcast digital, you soon will be able to find the NFL Network on Channel 168. The hope is it will be up and running by Sept. 12.
That comes as good news to those of us who haven’t had access to the NFL Network. I recently had a chance to watch the channel on an extended basis. “NFL Total Access,” the network’s nightly report on the league, quickly got my attention.
Hosted by the entertaining Rich Eisen, the show features a ton of interviews and analysis. I think I’ve found my new addiction.
Taking a pass
Fox backed away from airing the Cubs-Astros game Saturday, but not because the network has lost interest in the Cubs.
Because it has access to only two more Cubs regular-season games, Fox Sports decided to wait and use them for potentially more important games in September.
“We thought we were better off saving them,” Fox spokesman Dan Bell said.
The switch means WGN-Ch. 9 will air Saturday’s game at 3 p.m., followed by the White Sox-Indians at 6 p.m. Meanwhile, WFLD-Ch. 32 will show San Francisco at Atlanta at noon.
An update
The sports media beat is so big we’ve decided it takes two reporters to cover it.
After extensive negotiations–OK, they took two minutes–Teddy Greenstein and I are going to double-team the assignment.
I’ll handle most of the duties during the fall and early part of the winter when Greenstein is busy with college football. He will take over during the spring and summer while I concentrate on covering golf.
Greenstein and I share the necessary trait for working this beat: We both love to watch sports on television and listen to them on radio.
We’re hoping the arrangement works out. If not, address all complaints to Greenstein.
