I know YouTube TV customers are worried about not getting CHSN, and honestly this isn’t going to help those worries. I’d get an antenna asap and here’s why:
There are 9 teams by my count (not including the Stars of the NHL because they’re going to a free streaming service not broadcast on TV) who have or are moving to an OTA channel. Of those 9, only one channel that I’ve been able to confirm will show all of the locally broadcast games for this season: that channel being FOX 11 Plus/KCOP 13 for the Anaheim Ducks
I put a ❌ for channels YouTube TV doesn’t have, and a ✅ for those they do.
You see the Mavericks, Kraken and Golden Knights have one of their channels that is currently on YouTube TV. The issue is those channels will NOT be showing all the locally televised games, only simulcasting a select few per season (the number is usually 15 or so), so just having those channels isn’t enough. Since those channels are the main ABC and NBC affiliates in their respective region, most of the time they’ll only be good for pre and post game shows—if that.
I bring this up because it relates to Chicagoans who have YouTube TV, which I had but just cancelled in favor of an antenna.
The way CHSN is being done is not like what most other channels are doing, where the team is broadcasting their games on a local sub channel that also shows news and other shows throughout the day—no. CHSN is technically a regional sports network that just happens to be on free OTA TV that’s permanently taking over subchannels currently broadcasting jewelry.
I bring all this up to say while it’s not out of the realm of possibility that this ends up on YouTube TV, especially since this is technically a regional sports network, it doesn’t seem likely with their track record of removing channels that become sports channels (WSFL 39 for the Panthers for example was just removed from YTTV recently), or never adding newer channels like Vegas 34 and Utah 16. You might be better off getting an antenna right now before October 1st.
Sorry for all the posts about this, I’m just very knowledgeable about this sort of stuff and I want to clear up any confusion, especially since I was planning on keeping YouTube TV as well until it was confirmed we can get the channel for free.
4 comments
I’d love to get an antenna but I am downstate. Any idea on how far the signal reaches?
Soooooo…. we get to watch the bulls games for free on OTA??
If so what channel?
Good thing all Bulls fans live in Chicago, huh?
Preventing countless Bulls fans from watching Bulls games feels like the most brain-dead move ever.
I watch games after my kids go to sleep, so really hoping for YTTV so I can record. Do they make DVR type devices for recording stuff off antennas? VCR and VHS?