As NBC Sports Chicago Prepares to Sign Off for the Final Time, Here's a Look Back at 20 Years of Excellence

As NBC Sports Chicago Prepares To Sign Off for the Final Time, Here's a Look Back at 20 Years of Excellence The RSN has won 51 Emmy Awards during its two decades of on the air By Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S.

Friday, September 27, 2024 - 3:13 pm

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This Sunday will mark the end of an era for Chicago sports television. NBC Sports Chicago, the local television home of Chicago Sports for the past two decades, will produce its final live broadcasts during the White Sox season finale against the Tigers Sunday afternoon. It will be the last of more than 6,000 live game productions and more than 9,000 live pre/postgame shows.

During 20 years of broadcasting, the RSN also created a cavalcade of original content; provided Chicago fans with coverage of dozens of Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, and White Sox postseason runs; and produced live telecasts of five championship parades (three Blackhawks, one White Sox, and one Cubs). Add 51 Emmy Awards and countless additional industry honors for the network and individuals, and the legacy of Chicago's eldest RSN becomes clear.

Ozzie Guill n (left) and Chuck Garfien on NBCSN's White Sox Post Game Live

I am proud that we put all our focus on the fans, says Kevin Cross, president/GM, NBCUniversal Local Chicago. It sounds like an obvious thing to do, but there are a lot of things that can drive your focus. What we truly believed is that the game and everything around it was one of the highlights of the entire day for our viewers.

These are people who work hard and take care of their families but, all day, are looking forward to that game, he continues. I'm proud that everything we did every day was to bring them the best coverage possible.

NBCSC celebrates the White Sox World Series victory in 2005.

Bidding Adieu to Chicago: 30+ Hours To Chronicle 20 Years of Memories Following Sunday's game and postgame shows, NBC Sports Chicago will deliver 30+ hours of showcase programming that defined the network to millions of viewers over the past two decades, including all five championship-parade telecasts, iconic episodes of programming staples like Beer Money and Inside Look, and a half-hour special celebrating the network's 20 years. Then, just before midnight Monday, the network will sign off for the final time.

Reporter/anchor Leila Rahimi on hand at the ballpark

I want people to remember that NBC Sports Chicago was right by their side during, arguably, the most significant 20-year stretch in Chicago sports history, says Cross. When a team in town won a championship, we were there from the beginning of the season to the end. It's a great time, but it's exhausting. And then, when they win it all. It's not over. There's a parade, rally, and so much more.

Bulls Pregame Live on NBC Sports Chicago

Among the key moments during NBC Sports Chicago's tenure were the first Chicago White Sox World Series in 88 years, the Bears' rain-soaked Super Bowl XLI loss in Miami in 2007, the Chicago Blackhawks' turnaround from arguably the worst organization in all of sports (with years of losing records and the fact that home games were not televised) to dominating an entire decade in the NHL, the Cubs' first World Series win in more than a hundred years in 2016, and the Bulls' Derrick Rose era, in which he became the youngest player ever to win an MVP.

So much happened during that time, says Cross, and not all of them were championships. It was a significant time for Chicago sports, and we were right there.

Chuck and Ozzie having some fun at the ballpark

In the Game: Altcasts, Technological Innovations, Thinking Like the Fan' Over the years, NBC Sports Chicago always looked to innovate in how game broadcasts were presented to viewers. Says John Schippman, VP, sports content, NBCUniversal Local Chicago, We were always trying new things, trying to figure out what our viewers want to see next.

NBC Sports Chicago produced a real-time animation of the Chicago Blackhawks-Dallas Stars NHL game in April.

Among key innovations was the launch of BetCasts, in which the RSN teamed up with its sports-gaming sponsors to produce an alternative broadcast offering a sports-gambling expert along with the baseball analysts.

NBC Sports Chicago also produced Spanish-language broadcasts for White Sox games, featuring its very own Ozzie Guillen and Hector Lozano from Telemundo Chicago.

This year, NBC Sports Chicago became the first RSN ever to produce an animated alternative telecast when it joined forces with the Blackhawks and NHL to bring Tommy Hawk's Birthday Party to life for the younger viewing audience.

In 2013, NBC Sports Chicago honored Pat Foley for his 30th season with the Blackhawks.

In addition, NBC Sports Chicago was one of the first networks to show pitch-type graphics on the screen in its White Sox telecasts.

Our culture was to think like the fan, says Schippman. It wasn't hard because we were all fans. If the fanbase is down and upset, our coverage should reflect that. If the fanbase is pumped up, we should be pumped up. That honesty in our coverage built a bond internally with our employees and externally with our viewers.

We weren't afraid to tell it like it was, he continues. As long as we were fair and never stooped to personal attacks, we wanted to be as true as possible with our coverage. One of our marketing slogans during our 20-year tenure was Fan's best friend,' and we tried to live up to that every day.

In the Studio: Pre/PostGame Show Like No Other' in Regional Sports When NBC Sports Chicago, then known as Comcast SportsNet, launched on Oct. 1, 2004, it used the studio facilities of CLTV (a Tribune Co. entity) in Oak Brook. In February 2005, the network moved to its downtown headqua

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