NBC Sports Chicago’s Crosstown coverage gets underway on Friday, May 11 LIVE from Wrigley Field starting at 12 NOON CT!
Network to carry LIVE coverage of ALL SIX Crosstown battles this season (May 11-13 at Wrigley Field & September 21-23 at Guaranteed Rate Field);
coverage team this weekend to include Kasper, Deshaies, Benetti, Stone, Melton, DeJesus, Garfien, Crull, Rahimi, Stuckmeyer, Santos, Andracki & Duber!
Live streaming coverage of EVERY Crosstown telecast – including all Pre/Postgame Shows –
to be made available to authenticated subscribers on NBCSportsChicago.com and via the NBC Sports app!
NBCSportsChicago.com to deliver expanded Crosstown content throughout the weekend, including a brand new Crosstown-focused Podcast!
News
Social media highlights on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat to include live streaming segments, behind-the-scenes vids/pics,
plus - Cubs and White Sox fans can get interactive all weekend long by utilizing the hashtag #Crosstown
Chicago, IL (May 8, 2018) – NBC Sports Chicago, the multi-platform home for the most games and the most comprehensive coverage of the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox, is ready jump start the annual northside-southside rivalry once again with expanded, LIVE coverage of ALL SIX GAMES of the always-entertaining “Crosstown Classic” series this season and it all starts up this FRIDAY, MAY 11 as the Cubs host the White Sox at Wrigley Field. Plus - EVERY Crosstown telecast on NBC Sports Chicago, including surrounding Pre/Postgame Live coverage, will be accessible live via NBCSportsChicago.com and the NBC Sports app to authenticated NBC Sports Chicago subscribers. The live streaming service is currently available to customers of Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH Network, AT&T U-verse, Mediacom, RCN, WOW!, Time Warner Cable and Charter among numerous other carriers. For a full list of carriers and more information about NBC Sports Chicago’s live streaming service of its Cubs & White Sox games, viewers are urged to visit the following link: http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/live-faq .
NBC Sports Chicago’s “Crosstown Classic” coverage gets underway this Friday, May 11 with an expanded edition of Cubs Pregame Live presented by Fields Automotive Group at 12 NOON CT (taking place from The Brickhouse Tavern at Wrigley) - featuring host David Kaplan (@thekapman) and analysts David DeJesus (@David_DeJesus3) & Bill Melton, Cubs reporter Kelly Crull (@KellyCrull) and White Sox reporter Chuck Garfien (@ChuckGarfien) - who will all provide a complete series preview, interviews with players and coaches, fan interaction in and around the ballpark, and much more. First pitch coverage of this “Cubs telecast” on NBC Sports Chicago begins at 1:20 PM featuring Len Kasper (@LenKasper) & Jim Deshaies (@JimDeshaies) with the game call. Immediately following the game on Cubs Postgame Live presented by BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois, fans can look forward to a complete game recap/analysis, plus live postgame press conferences featuring Cubs manager Joe Maddon and White Sox manager Rick Renteria, player interviews from both clubhouses, and much more.
Saturday (May 12) and Sunday’s (May 13) games at Wrigley Field will be “White Sox telecasts” on NBC Sports Chicago featuring the announcing tandem of Jason Benetti (@jasonbennetti) & Steve Stone (@stevestone). On both days, White Sox Pregame Live presented The Kowalis Family of Dealerships gets the viewing day underway at 12:30 PM from Wrigley Field with host Leila Rahimi (@leilarahimi), analysts Bill Melton & David DeJesus, along with White Sox Multi-Platform host/reporter Chuck Garfien and Cubs reporter Kelly Crull; first pitch coverage on Saturday & Sunday begins at 1:20 PM, which will be followed by Subaru White Sox Postgame Live immediately after each game. Full weekend schedule details below (all times Central Time; schedule subject to change):
FRIDAY, MAY 11
12 NOON – Cubs Pregame Live presented by Fields Auto Group – Special EXPANDED edition pregame show LIVE from The Brickhouse Tavern at Wrigley with special features, player interviews, and surrounding ballpark festivities.
1:20 PM – WHITE SOX at CUBS (L) – “Cubs telecast” featuring Len Kasper & Jim Deshaies
4:00 PM – Cubs Postgame Live presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois (time approx.) – Complete game recap/analysis, plus live postgame press conferences and player interviews.
6:00 PM – SportsTalk Live presented by The Chevy Silverado – Special post-game discussion & analysis with host David Kaplan and additional special guests.
7:00 PM – White Sox at Cubs (game replay)
10:00 PM/10:30 PM – In the Loop presented by GMC – Full Crosstown Classic Game 1 recap, along with the latest news/highlights/viral vids & more from the day in sports.
SATURDAY, MAY 12
12:30 PM – White Sox Pregame Live presented by The Kowalis Family of Dealerships – Special EXPANDED edition pregame show LIVE from Wrigley Field with a recap of Game 1, a Game 2 preview, special guest interviews, feature stories, and much more.
1:20 PM – WHITE SOX at CUBS (L) – “White Sox telecast” featuring Jason Benetti & Steve Stone
4:00 PM – Subaru White Sox Postgame Live (time approx.) – Complete game recap/analysis, plus live postgame press conferences and player interviews.
7:00 PM – White Sox at Cubs (game replay)
SUNDAY, MAY 13
12:30 PM – White Sox Pregame Live presented by The Kowalis Family of Dealerships – Special EXPANDED edition pregame show LIVE from Wrigley Field with a recap of Games 1-2, a Game 3 preview, special guest interviews, feature stories, and much more.
1:20 PM – WHITE SOX at CUBS (L) – “White Sox telecast” featuring Jason Benetti & Steve Stone
4:00 PM – Subaru White Sox Postgame Live (time approx.) – Complete game recap/analysis, plus live postgame press conferences and player interviews.
7:00 PM – White Sox AAA Baseball: Durham Bulls at Charlotte Knights (same day delay)
10:00 PM/10:30 PM – In the Loop presented by GMC – Full Crosstown Classic series recap, along with the latest news/highlights/viral vids & more from the day in sports.
In addition to its live stream game coverage all weekend long, NBCSportsChicago.com will provide even more exclusive “Crosstown Classic” content including the following highlights:
- White Sox & Cubs PODCAST (presented by Wintrust): A special Crosstown-specific podcast featuring Chuck Garfien, David Kaplan, David DeJesus, and Ozzie Guillen, will be rolled out this week on both the “WhiteSoxTalk” & CubsTalk” podcast homes. All of NBC Sports Chicago’s podcasts can be downloaded at NBCSportsChicago.com/podcasts and fans can simply subscribe to the podcast of their choice via Apple Podcasts, Google Play or Stitcher. The podcasts can be played on any mobile device, laptop, or desktop computer.
- Top 5 Cubs & White Sox “Crosstown” moments: A detailed look back at the top defining moments of the annual “Crosstown” series that helped further the already-heated northside-southside rivalry over the past two decades.
- “The Rebuild”: NBC Sports Chicago’s White Sox digital reporter/producer Vinnie Duber (@VinnieDuber) will provide a two-part feature on the successes and failures of the rebuild process focusing on the struggles as evidenced by the Pittsburgh Pirates, along with the Cubs rebuilding process which led them to a World Series title in 2016…both the Pirates the Cubs scenarios will be compared to the current rebuild status of the White Sox.
- Andre Dawson: A special video feature interview and accompanying story via NBC Sports Chicago’s Cubs digital reporter/producer Tony Andracki (@TonyAndracki23) will tell the little known tale of how a White Sox hat in Montreal led the future Hall of Famer to join the Cubs in 1987, a year that “Hawk” was named the NL MVP.
From a social media standpoint, fans can look forward to a multitude of Crosstown “Sights & Sounds” moments leading up to and throughout the weekend via Facebook Live (Facebook.com/NBCSChicago), Twitter (@NBCSCubs & @NBCSWhiteSox), Snapchat (‘NBCSChicago’), along with additional photos/quick video offerings from ‘NBCSChicago’ through Instagram and Instagram Live. Among the network’s social media highlights will include:
- THURSDAY: “Crosstown Preview Show” at 7:00 PM on Facebook Live (Facebook.com/NBCSChicago) featuring David Kaplan, Siera Santos, and additional network baseball experts.
- FRIDAY: Massive interactive coverage to kick off the weekend series on all social platforms, which includes a Twitter (@NBCSChicago) live Periscope “Red Line to Wrigley” pregame segment featuring Luke Stuckmeyer taking the “L” to the Addison stop with Cubs/Sox fans to get the fan pulse on what they expect this weekend…a pregame, outside the ballpark segment entitled “Are you smarter than a Sox or Cubs fan?”...an additional Twitter (@NBCSChicago) live Periscope pregame segment featuring the network’s Cubs/White Sox talent and producers discussing the weekend’s keys to victory for each team…Cubs and White Sox #AuthenticFan reaction and comments on all social platforms throughout the day…plus, NBC Sports Chicago will ask fans “Where are you streaming the game?” (fans to respond utilizing the Twitter hashtag #Crosstown).
- SATURDAY: Continued fan interactive coverage across all social platforms throughout the day.
- SUNDAY: Final day interactive coverage on all social platforms, which will include a montage of the top highlights of Games 1 & 2 prior to the game.
- #Crosstown – Fans from both sides of town can interact with their comments leading up to and throughout the weekend on social via the hashtag - #Crosstown - plus, select tweets will also be retweeted via the network’s @NBCSCubs, @NBCSWhiteSox, and @NBCSChicago Twitter handles.
NOTE: NBC Sports Chicago’s details on Round 2 of the “Crosstown Classic” series, which will take place at Guaranteed Rate Field September 21-23, will be announced in mid-September.