The Chicago Blackhawks are committed to radio for at least another three years.
Before Wednesday's game, WGN Radio announced it agreed to a three-year contract extension with the Blackhawks. Analysts John Wiedeman and Troy Murray each signed a three-year extension, too, according to Scott Powers of The Athletic. Powers spoke to Jaime Faulkner, Blackhawks president of business operations, about how the deal came together.
“Radio is important because John and Troy are important to our fans,” Faulkner said. “They are legends. … So our decision to even stay on radio versus simulcast, which is an option several teams are moving to, was just not an option for us. They’re experts and the best at what they do. They’re the reason why we’re so successful. In addition to the great partnership, they contribute greatly to the success. And so part of the extension of the deal was just as important that we lock them up with an extension as well.”
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Wiedeman is in his 18th season as the radio voice for the Blackhawks. The award-winning play-by-play commentator has called three Stanley Cup championships (2010, 2013, 2015) alongside Murray.
After a 15-year NHL career that included 12 seasons with the Blackhawks, Murray served as team's television game analyst from 1999-2004 and 2022-2023, and also worked in the studio as a color analyst. He joined Wiedeman in the radio booth for the 2006-2007 season.
"We're really excited," Mary Sandberg Boyle, WGN Radio vice president and general manager, told Powers. “What I think was really cool was this wasn't just a, 'OK, here you go, we're going to extend that.' It was really thoughtful. What makes sense? What doesn’t make sense? How we can be better. The Blackhawks were great to work with on how they can be better and just being really good partners, and I think that's going to lead to even more success than we've already had."