Would Ch. 5 outsource sports to Comcast SportsNet?

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: Would Ch. 5 outsource sports to Comcast SportsNet? : Posted by Ed Sherman : at 3/30/2009 6:00 AM CDT on Chicago Business : Long before the advent of 24-hour sports cable channels and instant access on the Internet, the only place to get the daily sports news and highlights was on the local newscasts. Our sports fix was filled on the evening news by Bill Frink, Johnny Morris, Tim Weigel, Chet Coppock, Brad Palmer among others. : Who can forget the great Bruce Roberts? Brent Musburger and Greg Gumbel gave us the local scores in Chicago in the 1970s before they became big national stars. : The sportscast was a focal point on the news. You weren't going to find replays of Bobby Hull scoring a goal in the Chicago Stadium anywhere else. : Now you can get those replays on your phone. : As a result, the importance of the local sports report on the news has diminished. It has gotten to the point where Larry Wert, president and general manager of WMAQ-TV/Channel 5, confirmed the station is considering an arrangement in which it would outsource its sports reports to Comcast SportsNet, effectively eliminating its sports staff. : Mr. Wert stressed that he isn't close to making a final decision and that this proposal falls under the "everything is on the table" category. : "The current environment, combined with changes in media consumption, has us looking at all kinds of new opportunities and efficiencies," Mr. Wert said. "This isn't just sports-specific." : Mr. Wert also added, "The current sports department is efficient and profitable. We're looking for ways to grow it." : Channel 5 hardly is alone in examining this setup. Several stations throughout the country reportedly are looking to partner with the local sports channel in an effort to cut costs. : It already was done in Kansas City, where the CBS affiliate hooked up with that town's sports cable outet in 2003. However, even that arrangement was too expensive for the station. Earlier this year, it decided to ax the sports report on its newscasts. : Mr. Wert declined to go into specifics. However, if it costs Channel 5, let's say, $600,000 to $700,000 to staff a sports department, and if CSN charges the station, let's say, a $200,000 fee to handle the sports reports, that's a saving of $400,000 to $500,000. Those figures are estimates and the numbers could vary. Regardless, the savings would be substantial. : The move also would give enhanced exposure to the anchors and reporters at CSN, which would be a big plus for the outlet. : Currently, Mark Giangreco still is the leading sports anchor in town, enjoying immense popularity at WLS-TV/Channel 7, and Dan Roan (WGN-TV/Channel 9) and Corey McPherrin (WFLD-TV/Channel 32) have strong followings at their stations. : Meanwhile, both Channel 2 and Channel 5 lag behind when it comes to sports. Ryan Baker, formerly at Channel 5, now is handling sports reports for Channel 2. However, the station's low ratings for its newcasts definitely has it in cost-cutting mode. : Meanwhile, Daryl Hawks still is new on the scene, taking over as sports anchor at Channel 5 last July. Besides him, the station also has Paula Faris, Mike Adamle and Peggy Kusinski on its staff. : If you have a star like Mr. Giangreco sitting in the sports chair, you don't consider this move. Channel 5 actually once had Mr. Giangreco, but that was a long time ago. : So, as Mr. Wert said, the option of outsourcing its sports reports to CSN is on the table. Like everything else these days.

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