FSN Chicago
Launched	1997
Closed	2006
Network	FOX
Country	United States

Fox Sports Net Chicago was a regional sports network based in Chicago, Illinois. The network carried Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Fire, The Arena Football League's Chicago Rush, local and national collegiate sports, including those from FSN Detroit. The network was co-owned by Cablevision and News Corporation until 2005 when Cablevision bought 100% of the network. FSN Chicago was the production and origination point of the Chicago Sports Report, Ohio Sports Report, and Bay Area Sports Report programs (all 50% owned by Rainbow Sports/Cablevision).

Loss of broadcast rights

Fox Sports Net Chicago logo 1997-2004

In October 2004, FSN Chicago lost broadcast rights to all of the professional sports teams in the Chicago area when the owners of the Bulls, White Sox, Blackhawks, and Cubs decided to end their agreement with the network and partnered with Comcast to form Comcast SportsNet Chicago. This lead to a number of cable/satellite providers dropping the network. With the end of local pro sports coverage, FSN Chicago became mostly a feeder channel of the national network's entire schedule, some minor local and semi-pro teams, Midwestern outdoors programs, and sports rights and games from other college conferences of little interest to Chicagoland viewers. In 2005, Cablevision bought all of FSN Chicago when NewsCorp swapped assets with the cable company.

Collapse

The network ceased operations on June 23, 2006, and Comcast SportsNet Chicago now occupies the former FSN Chicago facility located at 350 North Orleans Street. They have also acquired the rights to air the nationally-distributed FSN programs. The old Chicago Sports Report set was purchased (and is now used as the main news set) by NBC affiliate WREX-TV in Rockford, IL. The building itself is the current home of the Chicago Sun-Times.