Posted by Bud on June 08, 2010 at 08:38:17:
Chicago's Comcast SportsNet has a good reason to celebrate this Spring. Thanks largely to two thrilling Stanley Cup Playoffs series victories by the Chicago Blackhawks, as well as a Chicago Bulls appearance in the NBA Playoffs, and always hopeful starts to the baseball seasons for both the Chicago Cubs & Chicago White Sox, Comcast SportsNet Chicago has received record-setting television ratings during the six-week time period of April 1 through May 16.
In these past six weeks, 6.5 million TV households in Chicago tuned in for sixty-six live pro games on the local sports channel. Additionally, 1.9 million homes tuned in to live editions of "SportsNite" & "Chicago Tribune Live."
During this six week period and averaging in all nights when it carried a live pro game telecast, Comcast SportsNet was the #1-highest rated cable television network in the Chicago market for all major TV ratings categories including Households and the key advertising demo of Adults 25-54 during primetime (7:00pm-10:00pm). Also, Comcast SportsNet was #1 "overall" in primetime (which includes all broadcast TV stations) in the market for the demo categories of Men 18-34 & Men 18-49. Source for all ratings information is provided by Nielsen Media Research.
"The past six weeks have demonstrated the incredible passion of Chicago sports fans and the depth of our local sports coverage," said James J. Corno, President of Comcast SportsNet Chicago. "We understand how much Chicago sports fans love their teams and that's why our programming goes beyond game coverage with expert insight, analysis and the very latest local sports news that's important to our fan base. Naturally, none of this would be possible without the enormous success and popularity of our pro team partners and I credit their staffs, along with our distributors and everyone here at Comcast SportsNet, for making the most of this very exciting time in Chicago sports history."
Much of CSN's success has to do with the incredible surging popularity of the Chicago Blackhawks, one of the biggest success stories in all of sports. In just two years time, our town's NHL team has gone from the joke of the city to the toast of the town. The brightest spots of this past six week period for CSN belonged to the Chicago Blackhawks telecasts. The Top 5 highest rated shows in the history of Comcast SportsNet since it officially launched on October 1, 2004, were all Blackhawks games that aired within the past six weeks. These occurred with the network's airing of its last five Blackhawks Stanley Cup Playoff telecasts:
#1) 10.14 – Round 2, Game 3 on May 5;
#2) 9.93 – Round 2, Game 6 on May 11;
#3) 9.47 – Round 2, Game 5 on May 9;
#4) 9.24 – Round 1, Game 6 on Apr. 26;
#5) 8.74 – Round 2, Game 2 on May 3.
Some of Comcast SportsNet's good fortune has to do with good timing, but regardless, they put themselves in this position for success through hard work and carefully fostering partnerships with key sports franchises in town. Congratulations to CSN on what is shaping up to be their best year ever.