Hockey Fans Furious as Network Launches Costly App to Stream Team Games Amid Ongoing Frustrations
Chicago area sports fans are furious after a new streaming app has been launched that has also been disastrous, and now they will have to pay even more.
Laurence Holmes from 670 The Score tweeted some pricing information related to a new sports package that would give Chicago fans access to games between the three major teams in the city year-round. He tweeted out a message in regard to the possible cost of the service and how ongoing negotiations between Comcast and the new Chicago Sports Network, CHSN, could affect access to this type of programming.
A new sports network was needed after NBC Sports Chicago ended regional programming, leaving fans with very minimal options to watch games locally. To that end, the Wirtz Corporation and Jerry Reinsdorf combined to establish CHSN, a network that would provide Chicago sports to local viewers. To say it has been a rocky transition is a gross understatement. Many fans have found accessing games to be problematic, whether it be due to malfunctioning equipment or an overall problem with the channel, thus causing widespread aggravation throughout the Chicagoland area.
Holmes also said that CHSN will roll out a different app interface, maybe similar to the popular NFL broadcasts of Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime. The new look would bring a fresh interactive look and more accessibility for fans, which is what most people are hoping will change. However, how well the platform will be received has to do with more than just design but the quality of the streaming and access to games on a continual basis.
The only hitch in this is that the addition of the Chicago Bulls into this network has not yet been approved by the NBA. This has left a lot of basketball fans in a dilemma over when they would begin to have Bulls games on CHSN. The increasing uncertainty, due to technical hitches too, has heightened the discontent among fans and teams alike. According to Holmes, the complication is beginning to affect revenue as teams report dwindling ticket sales and merchandise. It is for this reason that CHSN must address these concerns without any further delay to ensure that no more financial damage can be incurred.
CHSN may hold the most promise as a dedicated sports network for Chicago, but it is hard to ignore the pitfalls that it will have to negotiate. A carriage deal with Comcast is one important step, but none of them can afford to miscarry if CHSN is to give that smooth viewing experience. Were CHSN to overcome those hurdles, it might provide Chicago fans with a much-needed platform for more localized sports content. Fail to get around them, however, and it risks alienating the very audience that it seeks to serve.
