August 20, 2012 – The Chicago Bulls today announced their television broadcast schedule for the 2012-13 season, with Comcast SportsNet and WGN-TV/WCIU overseeing all local television duties. All 82 regular season games will be televised, as well as all seven preseason games. On the year, Chicago is scheduled to appear on national television a combined 43 times.
Comcast SportsNet will televise 42 regular season games, with five of those games being televised on Comcast SportsNet Plus. Comcast SportsNet will also broadcast six of Chicago’s seven preseason contests, including two games on Comcast SportsNet Plus. WGN-TV will broadcast 25 games, with 20 of those contests set to air nationally on WGN America, including one preseason game. WCIU-TV rounds out the Bulls’ local television schedule with eight regular season games. Bulls TV play-by-play man Neil Funk and color analyst Stacey King will provide the call for every Bulls’ local telecast.
“Once again we are very pleased that Bulls fans in the Chicago area will have the ability to watch every Bulls game on television,” said Bulls Executive Vice President of Business Operations Steve Schanwald. “Our arena seats just under 21,000 fans and, while watching the game on TV can’t replicate the atmosphere of actually being there, these telecasts are the next best thing and they play a very important role in satisfying the demand of millions of Bulls fans for access to their favorite basketball team. We are especially pleased to note that 43 of our games will be televised nationally, so that all our fans outside the Chicago area will be able to follow us all season long as well.”
Chicago’s season opener will be televised locally on WGN when the Bulls host the Sacramento Kings on October 31. On November 2, Comcast Sports Net will broadcast its first game of the regular season when the Bulls travel to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers. WGN America will air its first regular season contest of the year on November 10, when the Bulls host the Minnesota Timberwolves. Finally, WCIU-TV will televise its first game of the regular season on November 3, as the Bulls host the New Orleans Hornets.
In addition to Chicago’s 20 nationally-televised games on WGN America, the Bulls will also appear on ESPN 10 times, TNT seven times, NBA-TV seven times and ABC two times.