InTheDriversSeat

I find all this negativity, profanity, and complaining posted here to be very strange (. I believe the opposite: launching CHSN Chicago Sports Network is fantastic news! This is a wonderful business decision. For the first time since the 1980 season (on Channel 44 WSNS) nearly all White Sox games will be televised on free over-the-air TV. That's 44 years since that happened. During all of those years, Sox fans had to pay $ to watch most games excluding the 60 or so games each year that continued to air on OTA TV stations. But even that ended after the 2019 season when WGN-TV was sold to a new owner (Nexstar), and the Sox have been a cable only team ever since. I was referring to the poster above me that mentioned an outdoor antenna. And if you look at the link he posted, there's a whole bunch of suburbs where indoor reception will be "hard". It's like people don't remember how much rabbit ears fucking sucked. It's a downgrade in every aspect. Quite the opposite actually. If you look on the map, there will be a whole bunch of suburbs where reception is "Easy Indoor": https://www.rabbitears.info/contour.php?map=Y&appid=25076ff36dad76a5016dbc38667e53ad&site=1 And no, rabbit ears do not "fucking suck". TV stations are much easier to receive using an indoor antenna providing an excellent signal since the 2009 conversion to digital broadcasting. The days of analog TV grainy / fuzzy reception are long gone. Plus, UHF stations come in stronger now compared to VHF, when the opposite occurred during analog TV broadcasting. "jumping through additional hoops"? LOL! You actually think plugging in an antenna to the back of a TV is a difficult process? A 10 year old can figure that out. Having to pay $200 per month ($2,400 per year) for cable/satellite TV is what I call asking customers to jump through hoops. By the way, down the road there WILL be platforms to stream telecasts if that suits your fancy. This is a White Sox forum, and they next season starts over 5 months from now so there will be plenty of time to get that done. Here is what CHSN has to say: https://chsn.com/info/ "HOW TO WATCH CHSN plans to be available everywhere that fans want to watch. Information on additional cable and streaming options will be released soon. Check back often! For digital antenna (OTA) support, call (877) 828-8198. PREMIUM TV SERVICES CHSN will be available across satellite, cable, and premium streaming platforms. We are working aggressively to secure deals with all platforms and will provide updates as they are available. Check back often for the latest list of distribution partners." "Spending a ton of money on an OTA DVR"? LOL! Here's one I found on Amazon that costs $100, which isn't a ton of money. That's nothing but you support the $2,400 per year cost of cable/satellite TV instead of an antenna. https://www.amazon.com/Tablo-4th-Gen-2-Tuner-Subscriptions/dp/B0CBVT6SLL/ By the way, most viewers in the Chicago area will not need to put a "fucking antenna on a roof". An indoor antenna placed next to a window should work for most viewers unless the viewer is located in far out regions of the Chicago metro. No, this isn't a "fucking joke" and CHSN is not "going to fail". Actually, Comacst/Xfinity will have PLENTY of motivation to carry CHSN. Comcast/Xfinity stands to loose probably half it's customer base if CHSN is not carried. However I suspect the price Comcast pays to CHSN will drop down compared to the fee NBCSN charged because CHSN is available for free OTA and no longer a pay-TV exclusive. The only good thing is…that the OTA signal doesn’t even reach South Elgin so Grandma might not realize her paneling is gone yet. Who cares what the set looks like? Is the set really that important? LOL Here was the first program that aired. Looks fine to me: According to the coverage map, Elgin is well within reach of the signal area and so are areas west of Elgin which is even farther away.

Hard to tell on the map, but there is blue (White Sox and Cubs) in Iowa. The entire state of Iowa is considered home market for 6 teams: White Sox, Cubs, Brewers, Twins, Cardinals, Royals. Doesn't mean however that all games from the 6 teams are available in Iowa. I suspect CHSN will have affiliate stations in Iowa that are not announced yet.

There is no such thing as an HD antenna. Antenna designs have changed over the years, but an antenna that's 50 years old can receive HD signals. An antenna does not know if the signal is transmitting in analog or digital. Reception quality depends how far you are located from the towers in downtown Chicago. Viewers located within about 35 miles of downtown should be able to receive all of the full power signals with moving the rabbit ears around.

According to MLB southern Illinois belongs to: White Sox, Cardinals, Cubs (excluding area east of Mississippi River next to St. Louis which is Cardinals territory only). The Sox had over-the-air affiliates in the past in southern Illinois.

I heard rumors about additional CHSN over-the-air affiliates which are going to be added: Rockford Channel 19 WSLN Freeport (The CW is on the primary) South Bend Channel 16 WNDU-TV South Bend (NBC is on the primary) Milwaukee Channel 18 or 24 (?) WVTV Milwaukee (The CW is on the primary) Paducah - Cape Girardeau - Harrisburg Channel 49 WDKA Paducah (MyNetwork TV is on the primary) I suspect the Milwaukee TV station is going to air only Blackhawks games (no Bulls or White Sox)

This isn't hilarious at all. Just the opposite, in fact. Smart move with more and more viewers cutting the cable, the games will be available for free to everyone using an antenna. I haven't subscribed to cable (or a dish) for 25 years, but I heard the cost is around $200 per month. So you would rather pay $2,400 per year because you can't figure out how to hook up an antenna? Likely when the Bulls and Blackhawks regular season gets started, I suspect deals will be worked out with Comcast/Xfinity and other cable companies in the Chicago area. The pay-TV distributors would be loosing a ton of customers if White Sox, Bulls, and Blackhawks were not available. As others have mentioned, Channels 62-2 and 62-3 are going to convert from SD to HD on October 1st. That's correct. Under federal law, all TV's are required to have a tuner built in, but antennas are sold separately. I would not recommend that antenna. Looks like junk. Probably works in the city limits of Chicago but might as well fork over the money for a better quality indoor antenna to get Chicago's low-power TV stations. jerry is probably taking a financial hit with this endeavor. Comcast/Xfinity and other distributors are not going pay as much to carry CHSN since the product is no longer a cable exclusive that many viewers can now receive for free using an antenna. You actually believe that the overwhelming majority of their fanbase (old people) are unable to figure how how to hook up an antenna? It's actually very simple. Also, I would say that old people will be able to understand this method more than young people because old people can remember the days when all Sox games were televised on free TV before cable TV and RSN's existed. Young people have the mindset that all TV broadcasting is charged. I believe Jerry owned 50% of NBC Sports Chicago. This isn't much different what happened at Washington, DC. The two CHSN channels are probably going to occupy the same channels that were used for 'NBC Sports Chicago' and 'NBC Sports Chicago Plus' so this will be a seamless transition as well. ^ The circle on that map isn't accurate. It's way too big. Here's a good map. As you can see, the signal is not trash. The green and yellow areas show where Channel 62 WJYS comes in with rabbit ears. I had no problem receiving Channel 62 using rabbit ears at my former home in central Lake County IL: https://www.rabbitears.info/contour.php?map=Y&appid=25076ff36dad76a5016dbc38667e53ad&site=1 False. A roof antenna will suffice for everyone in the Chicago metro. Rabbit ears will be a problem for viewers located at far out suburbs. Yes, one antenna but transmitting from Willis Tower (1673 feet, 140,000 watts). A few years down the road, Next Generation TV (ATSC 3.0) will allow a single TV station to transmit from multiple towers. CHSN is going be available on BOTH free over-the-air TV and pay/cable TV (for people who like to waste money and pay to watch programming that they can receive for free). There will be more deals.

I would say that decline started in the late 60's when the Sox moved telecasts from VHF (WGN-TV) to UHF (WFLD-TV) in 1968. Channel 32 had great picture quality but UHF (Channels 14-83) required an outdoor antenna at the time for clean reception in many suburbs. In 1968, Chicago was mostly a VHF market. Chicago only had 3 UHF TV stations (20, 26, 32). Viewers did not make the effort or know how to correctly receive Channel 32 in their homes. TV's manufactured prior to 1964 were not required to have UHF tuners built in to the TV. A couple other factors: lousy season records in 1968, 1969, and 1970. The construction of public housing projects near 'White Sox Park' in the 60's. Also, the radio move in 1971-1972 to: 105.1 WEAW-FM / 1300 WTAQ / and 4 suburban stations did not help.

Here is the zone map courtesy 506 Sports where the telecast is available on local Fox affiliates: https://506sports.com/ In Chicago, the TV station is: Channel 32 WFLD Also, White Sox radio broadcast is airing on: AM 720 WGN instead of 'ESPN 1000' due to conflict with Bears game. Go SOX!

Today is the big day). The 'Grant Park 165' starts at 3:30 PM CDT live from the streets of downtown Chicago on NBC, Channel 5 WMAQ-TV. Radio: MRN The Motor Racing Network, AM 890 WLS (and 94.7 WLS-FM-HD2 using HD capable radios). The #34 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse sponsored by Chicago White Sox, driven by Michael McDowell starts in the 3rd position . Let's cheer Michael on to victory!

Televised locally in Chicago on Channel 32 WFLD (Fox) Here is the map (courtesy of 506 Sports) for other parts of the USA that get to watch the game on free over-the-air Fox affiliates. Looks like only about 10% of the country will show this game: https://506sports.com/

Here is the zone where tonight's SOX-Twins game will be televised on free over-the-air FOX affiliates. In Chicago, that's Channel 32 WFLD. Looks like over 80% of the country is getting Seattle at Cleveland instead for some reason. Map courtesy of 506 Sports: https://506sports.com/

The game tonight is a regional broadcast televised on FOX. That is Channel 32 WFLD in Chicago starting at 6 PM CDT (Central Daylight Time). This is the regular, free over the air network named FOX, not to be confused with various pay cable networks that have FOX in the name (FS1, FS2, FX, etc.). Here is a map courtesy of 506 Sports of the part of the country where the game will be carried on local FOX affiliates: https://506sports.com/

The '2022 Wintrust Crosstown Series' on Saturday night will be broadcast for free on the FOX network starting at 6 PM Central Daylight Time. This is the regular version of FOX (not the FS1, FS2, or FX cable channels). Streaming video on FOX Sports app (where available). Here is a map (courtesy of 506 Sports) indicating the zone in green where the game is available for free on local FOX affiliates. This game is one of three different regional games airing in different parts of the USA. Len Kasper and A.J. Pierzynski will be calling the White Sox-Cubs telecast. https://506sports.com/ In the Chicago area, the game can be watched on: Channel 32 WFLD (Fox)

This White Sox-Reds 'MLB on Fox' broadcast tonite is the first game of 2020 that will be televised on free TV in the Chicago area. No cable, satellite dish, or internet required. Only an antenna. The game will be shown on the regular Fox over-the-air network, which is different from the cable only networks FS1 or FS2. Locally in the Chicago area the channel is: Channel 32 WFLD. Fox is airing 2 different MLB games at the same time in different parts of the country. The other telecast is Braves vs. Mets. Here is a link to a map showing which parts of the country will be receiving each game (courtesy of 506 Sports). The White Sox vs. Reds game will be shown on your local Fox network affiliate for viewers located in the purple zone: https://506sports.com/mlb.php?yr=2020&wk=6 I heard that A.J. Pierzynski is calling the ChiSox-Reds telecast )

There’s also a Lou Malnati’s in Lake Forest (takeout only) on Waukegan Road (Illinois 43) which is probably a little closer to North Chicago / Great Lakes than the Gurnee store. Traffic from the north suburbs into the city on Saturday is just as hideous as Fridays are. My experience is that traffic going southbound on the Edens Expressway (Interstate 94) backs up around Skokie, starting around 3 or 4:00 PM on Saturdays all the way to “the junction” where the Edens Expressway runs into the Kennedy Expressway (Interstate 90). Where the 2 expressways meet on the northside of Chicago, traffic on the Kennedy Expressway (Interstate 90 & 94) is a little better (but still very full with vehicles) until getting to downtown. Traffic gets backed up on the Edens Spur (Interstate 94), the portion that connects the Tri-State Tollway to the Edens Expressway, due to recently started new construction. This was a problem even prior to the construction because 2 lanes merge into 1 lane in the Deerfield / Northbrook area traveling east on the Spur just prior to connecting with the Edens Expressway. The way to avoid this from the north surburbs is to take U.S. 41 going south instead of the Tri-State Tollway. More backups traveling south when you get close to downtown due to the never ending reconstruction of the Jane Byrne Interchange, where 3 expressways meet. The Kennedy Expressway (Interstate 90 & 94) has express lanes which are reversable depending on the time of day. If you decide to get on the express lanes on the way to the ballpark, remember to get off the express lanes (if they are open southbound) and onto the local lanes around Division Street, or else you will be forced onto Ohio Street feeder ramp in the River North area, which is not the direction to Guaranteed Rate Field on the southside. But if you are going to Navy Pier before the game, Ohio Street would be the best way to get to the pier. Probably a better idea to take Metra and CTA on either day. Plus you will save the $20 parking cost at the ballpark. But if you are intending to go other places before the game, driving might work out better. I don’t think ticket prices are higher at Guaranteed Rate Field than most other major league ballparks. Concessions are a different story. To save money on ticket costs, you can buy Upper Deck tickets, and just move to down to any open seats in the Lower Deck if the attendance is under 20,000. I heard the policy is if attendance is greater than 20,000, you will be stuck in the Upper Deck deck for the entire game if you have an Upper Deck ticket. On Saturday, Jim Thome Bobbleheads will be handed out to the first 20,000 fans entering the ballpark. You may want to arrive a couple hours early to make certain to receive the bobbles. Plus, lines entering the ballpark are much longer than the past due to increased security at the gates mandated by MLB. Don’t forget Saturday night games start at 6:10 PM, which is 1 hour earlier than weeknight games. Your daughter that doesn’t like baseball may still enjoy the game anyways. The Sox do a good job entertaining visitors who are not fans.