Chicago Sports Network will make debut broadcast Tuesday night with Blackhawks preseason game. How can you watch?
CHICAGO — The brand-new Chicago Sports Network (CHSN) will televise its first live sports broadcast on Tuesday night.
The network announced in June that it would be the new home for the Bulls, Blackhawks and White Sox beginning in October, airing more than 300 live games annually, along with pregame and postgame coverage and 24/7 multisport programming.
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Tuesday is Oct. 1, which means CHSN will launch its live-sports programming by broadcasting an NHL preseason game between the Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild from St. Paul, Minn. Puck drop is 7 p.m., and the Blackhawks’ website indeed lists CHSN as the televising network.
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So, how can you watch the Bulls, Blackhawks and White Sox now?
Over-the-air channels
CHSN recently announced an over-the-air agreement with Millennial Telecommunications’ WJYS TV.
This means Bulls, Blackhawks and White Sox games will be televised over-the-air on Channels 62.2 and 62.3, according to CHSN. The network says both channels will convert to HD and carry full-time programming beginning Tuesday, Oct 1.
Having two digital channels, the network says, allows for the broadcast of two games when teams are playing at the same time. That’s sometimes the case, of course, for the Bulls and Blackhawks during concurrent NBA and NHL seasons, then the White Sox will get into that mix, too, when they begin their 2025 season next spring.
Can I use an antenna?
According to CHSN, for the approximately 600,000 households in its designated market without a pay-for-TV service, an over-the-air antenna that receives all of the channels will be necessary to watch games.
For households already using an over-the-air antenna, the network says, a fresh scan of available channels will be required following CHSN’s official launch.
A detailed FAQ on how to buy and install a digital antenna can be found HERE at CHSN’s website. You can also go HERE for guidance on selecting and installing an antenna and scanning for channels.
Premium platforms
The network will also be available across satellite, cable and streaming platforms.
On Tuesday, CHSN and Astound Broadband reached a multiyear distribution agreement, making CHSN available immediately to Astound Chicagoland customers.
Astound subscribers in the Chicagoland area will have access to live local telecasts of the Blackhawks, Bulls, and White Sox games, pre and post-game coverage, exclusive interviews, and 24/7 multisport programming, all delivered from CHSN’s studios at both Chicago’s United Center and Guaranteed Rate Field.
CHSN will be on the same level of service and have the same channel numbers as the previous network for Astound customers — CHSN HD (685), CHSNPLS HD (576), CHSN SD (370) and CHSNPLS SD (371).
“We’re especially pleased that CHSN will be available to Astound Broadband subscribers,” said CHSN President Jason Coyle. “This partnership allows us to reach the fans where they are and bring them more than 300 live games annually from three iconic teams.”
Earlier this month, CHSN and DIRECTV announced a multi-year distribution agreement to provide CHSN and its live, local game telecasts across five states, including most of Illinois and Iowa and parts of Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.
For satellite users, according to the network, CHSN will be broadcast on Channel 665 via DIRECTV Satellite and DIRECTV satellite-free services. The channel will be available to anyone subscribing to DIRECTV’s Choice or above packages.
For streaming service users, the network says, CHSN will be available on DIRECTV Stream (Channel 665) to anyone subscribing to DIRECTV’s Choice or above packages.
And for cable customers, the network says, CHSN will be available on U-verse Channels 1741 (HD) and 741(SD).
Upcoming action
Following Tuesday’s CHSN debut, the network will broadcast two more Blackhawks preseason games over the weekend, on Friday at the United Center against the Wild at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday against the St. Louis Blues at 7 p.m. That game is being played at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.
The Blackhawks open their 2024-25 regular season on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 9 p.m. in Utah in that franchise’s first game since relocating from Arizona. That’s a nationally-televised game on ESPN.
The Blackhawks’ CHSN regular-season debut will come from Winnipeg, Canada, on Friday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m. against the Jets.
The Bulls, meanwhile, open their preseason next week, Tuesday, Oct. 8, in Cleveland at 6 p.m. against the Cavaliers.
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