WGN Scores With New Blackhawks Hockey Pact

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Tribune Co.’s TV station in Chicago, WGN-TV singed a new three-year extension of its local rights deal with the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks.

Under the agreement WGN will broadcast 20 regular-season games each year through the end of the 2018-19 National Hockey League season.

WGN has been the Blackhawks' flagship station since the 2008-09 season, after the team’s new owner decided to end a ban on local broadcasts.

"The Blackhawks leadership is best in class and we are extremely happy and proud to bring the team’s games to the greatest sports fans in the country,” said Larry Wert, president, broadcast media, Tribune Company. "Serving our viewers and advertisers with great sports programming is part of our mission and heritage. The Chicago Blackhawks franchise and fan base has never been stronger and we expect the team’s popularity to continue growing.”  

“WGN-TV is synonymous with Chicago and is the perfect partner to continue to help serve our expanding fan base,” said Blackhawks president & CEO, John McDonough.

Jon Lafayette
Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.