Wolves Announce 80-Game Television Slate on Comcast
September 24, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Chicago Wolves News Release
For the first time in franchise history, the Chicago Wolves will televise all 80 regular-season games  including all 40 home contests  as well as every playoff game, live on Comcast Cable during the team's 10th anniversary season.
This multi-year agreement is the only all-inclusive TV deal in the 67-year history of the American Hockey League. The unprecedented move puts the Wolves in a category with the 14 National Hockey League teams that televise all of their regular-season games.
"People do not go home to watch the radio. People go home to watch TV," said Wolves Chairman of the Board Don Levin. "Back in the '30s, '40s and '50s, people went home and listened to the radio. But this is not your parents' hockey team. With that in mind, and because hockey is such a visual sport, we feel that this is the ideal broadcasting option. We're providing our fans the very best Wolves coverage, and giving all Chicago-area sports fans a chance to see, in color, what it's like to be at all 80 Wolves games.
The broadcasts will feature Wolves Play-by-Play Announcer and Chicago native Judd Sirott, who returns for his 10th year, and analyst Billy Gardner, who starts his second season with the organization after having spent 12 seasons as a player and broadcaster with the Chicago Blackhawks. Wolves games will air on a locally designated Comcast channel.
This is the 10th year the Wolves have televised their games. Last year, Chicago televised 12 games on CLTV. Previously, the team's largest television package was 35 games, including 11 playoff contests during the team's 2002 Calder Cup Championship season.
"Comcast is excited about this partnership that allows us to bring Wolves hockey to our customers," said Eric Schaefer, Comcast vice president of sales and marketing. "Chicago sports fans want all the excitement, the action and the drama of Wolves hockey up close and personal, and Comcast is committed to giving customers more of what they want.
The agreement also involves branding opportunities for both the Wolves and Comcast, which includes commercial placement, signage and various cross-promotional options.
Headquartered in Philadelphia, Comcast Cable is a division of Comcast Corporation, a developer, manager and operator of broadband cable networks and provider of programming content. Operating in 17 of the United States' 20 largest metropolitan areas, Comcast is one of the leading communications, media and entertainment companies in the world. Providing basic cable, digital cable and high-speed Internet services, Comcast Cable is the company to look to first for the communications products and services that connect people to what's important in their lives. The company's 55,000 employees, in six divisions, serve more than 21 million customers.
Comcast in the Greater Chicago Region serves 1.6 million customers in Illinois and Indiana. With headquarters in Schaumburg, the organization employs more than 4,200.
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