CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks and WGN-TV have agreed to a three-year contract extension that runs through the 2018-19 NHL season.
The team and the station announced the extension on Friday. Comcast SportsNet Chicago shows most Blackhawks games, but WGN-TV broadcasts 20 regular-season games each year.
Team President John McDonough says WGN-TV “has been a highly-valued member of the Blackhawks family.”
According to the release announcing the deal, ratings for Blackhawks games on WGN-TV have increased by more than 200 percent since 2008. Larry Wert, the president of Tribune Broadcasting, says they expect the team to continue to grow in popularity.
The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2013 and are still alive in this year’s playoffs. The Western Conference final begins on Sunday.
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