What we know and still don’t know about Chicago Sports Network’s broadcasts

Time is ticking.

Chicago Sports Network (CHSN) will launch in less than two weeks. The network will go live at 5 p.m. on Oct. 1 and televise its first Blackhawks game that evening.

Since the announcement of CHSN — a joint venture between the Blackhawks, Bulls and White Sox — in early June, the news flow has generally been slow but has picked up in recent weeks.

The network recently announced Pat Boyle, Tony Granato and Caley Chelios as the Blackhawks' studio talent and Jason Goff, Kendall Gill and K.C. Johnson as the Bulls'.

Another announcement revealed you'll be able to access the network for free through over-the-air (OTA) programming if you're in the network's broadcast territory and your digital antenna can locate the station. The broadcast will be on channels 62.2 and 62.3 and will convert to HD. We'll dive further into OTA shortly.

Finally, in its latest news round, CHSN announced an agreement with DIRECTV, which will include a streaming option.

So, where does that leave viewers?

Still no news of a carriage agreement with Comcast

CHSH has to come to an agreement with Comcast, the primary cable carrier in the Chicago market, for this all to matter. If you're not on Comcast, you're simply not going to be seen by enough people.

Could CHSN add Comcast after its launch? Sure. It took up to the Cubs' opening day for Marquee Sports Network to agree to a deal. In CHSN's case, it could probably use an agreement sooner than later just to ensure a positive launch and avoid viewer backlash.

CHSN is undoubtedly discussing terms with Comcast and wants to get the most money out of a contract. The issue is CHSN needs Comcast much more than Comcast needs CHSN. The regional sports network business isn't as lucrative as it once was.

If CHSN can negotiate to be on the standard pricing tier with Comcast, that would be a massive win, but it's also unlikely. Comcast has been putting all regional sports networks on a higher tier these days. CHSN can try to hold out with Comcast, but the network will have to agree to its terms at some point.

It was assumed CHSN could fall under a must-carry network and could appear on Comcast whether the network signed a contract or not, but a network source said CHSN is not eligible for that.

CHSN still hasn't announced whether it will have a direct-to-consumer option within its app

Marquee didn't launch a direct-to-consumer option in its app for a few years. But in more recent network launches, it's been more common to have that option available right away. When the New Orleans Pelicans recently announced their over-the-air programming, they also revealed an option to watch games within the app for people who live in the broadcasting territory. Other pro teams who have recently gone a route similar to that of the Blackhawks, Bulls and White Sox have been introducing smoother broadcasting paths for their fans. The Dallas Stars' Victory+ is an example of that.

CHSN president Jason Coyle was noncommittal on a direct-to-consumer option when he appeared on CHGO on Friday, though a source confirmed it is something the network is open to.

CHSN is currently more focused on getting deals done with the cable carriers. Those negotiations will likely determine CHSN's direct-to-consumer decision, too. Cable carriers prefer direct-to-consumer products to be placed at a price point that won't put them in direct competition with their offerings. Marquee's DTC option is $19.99 per month, which seems like a common price point.

CHSN has been promoting a companion app where you can find information while watching the game on another platform. It might have some value if you're watching the game within the app, but most fans opt to use X on a second screen.

Locating CHSN through a digital antenna could be easy, challenging or impossible

I recently shared my own experiences with purchasing and installing a digital antenna and searching for networks. It wasn't easy for me.

I've heard others have had plenty of luck with their antennas and watch a ton of local television through it. And then there are some who either can't figure it out at all or just don't want to.

If you have any interest in this route, it's worth reading CHSN's guide to over-the-air broadcasting . It'll answer a lot of your questions.

Here's what I ultimately think of the over-the-air component: For those who can figure it out and don't mind its limitations, such as not being able to record, pause or rewind, you'll be happy. It is free. It's really a great selling point to bring in additional fans. But most people won't even go as far as purchasing an antenna. If they do, they probably aren't going to spend a lot of time moving an antenna around if it doesn't work perfectly on the first attempt. That's just the reality of the situation.

I don't think I'll be watching through OTA. I don't have the patience for it. Plus, I prefer to stream games. CHSN's priorities have to be landing a contract with Comcast and creating a direct-to-consumer option. That's their path to success. Hopefully we'll know soon whether those options are coming. Time is ticking.

(Photo: Patrick Gorski / Icon Sportswire via )