After months of negotiations and a lengthy blackout for many local fans, the Chicago Sports Network (CHSN) and Comcast have officially announced a multi-year distribution agreement. The deal, which went into effect Friday, June 6, brings the exclusive television home of the Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Bulls, and Chicago White Sox to the area’s largest cable provider.
Under the terms of the agreement, CHSN is now available to Comcast customers who subscribe to the Xfinity “Ultimate TV” package. Viewers in the Chicagoland area can find the network on channel 200. The resolution ends a standoff that left approximately one million Comcast subscribers without access to the games since CHSN’s launch in October 2024.
“On behalf of the entire CHSN team, we’re proud to welcome Comcast’s Xfinity TV customers to a network built exclusively for Chicago sports fans,” said Jason Coyle, President of Chicago Sports Network, in a statement. “This deal allows us to reach even more fans across the city and suburbs, deepen connections, and reinforce CHSN as the home for Chicago sports all day, every day.”
A key point of contention during the prolonged negotiations was CHSN’s placement on Xfinity’s tier system. While the network will be on the more expensive Ultimate package, its availability on Comcast was seen as crucial for its long-term success.
In a related move, CHSN announced it would be discontinuing its free over-the-air (OTA) broadcasts in markets where the network is now available on Comcast, including Chicago, Rockford, Peoria, and South Bend. Viewers who had been using an antenna to watch the games will now need to subscribe to a service that carries the network.
Blackhawks Chairman Danny Wirtz commented on the deal, stating, “Blackhawks fans have been incredibly patient over the past year as CHSN has worked to create widespread availability of our games, and I couldn’t be more excited for what this means for them.”