When Comcast SportsNet launched on Oct. 1, 2004, the Blackhawks barely registered in Chicago. It didn’t even matter that an NHL strike wiped out the entire 2004-05 season. The ratings wouldn’t have been much higher if the Blackhawks were actually playing games.
Fast forward to 2014, and Blackhawks games now produce the highest ratings among the Bulls, Cubs, and White Sox on CSN — often, by far.
So as CSN celebrates its 10th anniversary this week, the improbable rise of the Blackhawks illustrates just how difficult it is to predict where the channel is headed in the next decade.
“There are so many possibilities out there right now,” said Phil Bedella, vice president and general manager of CSN.
The network has come a long way in its first 10 years. When it debuted, CSN was operating out of makeshift studios at CLTV in Oak Brook, with directors and producers working from production trucks in the parking lot. Now it has a modern operation in Chicago that includes a large digital presence.
Under longtime president Jim Corno, whose presence still is felt even after his death in December, CSN became the nation’s first regional network to be owned by multiple pro teams. The teams essentially eliminated the middle man, which had been Fox, in forging their own deal with Comcast.
While Bedella won’t divulge figures, he says the arrangement has affected the bottom line for the Bulls, White Sox, Cubs and Blackhawks.
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“I can say this business definitely has lived up to the expectations for the partners in terms of profitability, promotion and coverage of the teams,” Bedella said.
Bedella contends the setup also has benefited Chicago sports fans. CSN televises more than 400 games per year, plus comprehensive studio shows, documentaries and specials.
“Having one stop for all things Chicago sports is terrific,” Bedella said. “We don’t just cover one team. We cover all the teams.”
Yet it could all change. The teams are committed only through 2019, opening the door for the great unknown. Here are some of the possibilities:
Cubs decision: It is fairly clear Cubs would like to go solo with their own network, beginning in 2020. There are many market factors that will determine whether the Cubs eventually go that route, but if they do, it would leave a big programming hole at CSN.
Bedella, who is monitoring the situation, chooses his words carefully.
“Our hope is for all the teams to stay together,” Bedella said. “I think we’re stronger with all four teams. Time will tell if everyone chooses to embrace the model, or if one of the teams will want to have its own voice in the marketplace. A lot will play out in the next five years.”
CSN2: Chicago is one of the few large markets with only one regional sports network. Los Angeles has four.
Even if the Cubs remain with CSN, it is inevitable that a CSN2, maybe even CSN3, will be created to carry the volume of games. Bedella predicts all sports programming will be on cable in the 2020s. So if you factor in all the Cubs, Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks games that currently air on broadcast TV (WGN-9, WCIU-26, WPWR-50), there will be no room at the inn with just one CSN. For now the network uses a CSN-Plus channel when it has multiple games.
However, it isn’t as easy as flipping a switch. Launching a new channel is an expensive endeavor, and there is a growing pushback on how much consumers are willing to pay for cable sports programming.
“We want to create as much content as we can,” Bedella said. “There’s no question the industry is moving to cable for sports. How and when we create a second channel still needs to be played out.”
Ownership: Speaking of the unexpected, in 2004, Tribune Co. appeared to be locked in as owner of the Cubs. Then things changed quickly with Tom Ricketts’ family eventually buying the team.
What if there are more ownership changes in the next 10 years? Perhaps Rocky Wirtz decides to cash in after winning a fourth Stanley Cup? Even though Jerry Reinsdorf is going strong at 78, what happens if he isn’t in the picture?
New voices could alter the makeup of CSN.
“You can’t predict what’s going to happen,” Bedella said. “But if you look across the country, this model of teams partnering to own a regional sports network is successful and will continue for quite a while.”
Next wave: Bedella said he is confident fans will continue to devour sports programming. How they watch it is another story.
“The biggest thing we’re going to see is TV everywhere,” Bedella said. “There’s going to be fundamental changes with consumers watching through their mobile phones, tablets. They aren’t going to abandon (their 50-inch TVs), but the second-screen experience is going to force us to rethink how we present the game, pre- and postgame programming. It’s going to be a very different viewing experience.”
Special contributor Ed Sherman writes about sports media at shermanreport.com. Follow him @Sherman_Report.