Blackhawks-Wings set for noon New Year's Day at Wrigley Field

Teddy Greenstein | ON SPORTS MEDIA AND COLLEGES

July 16, 2008

It will become officially official Wednesday: The NHL will award the 2009 Winter Classic to the Blackhawks, who will play host to Detroit on Jan. 1 at Wrigley Field, according to an industry source.

For weeks it has been believed Chicago would land the outdoor game. About the only mystery has been when the puck would drop. It will be at noon, and NBC will televise the game.

The league's inaugural Winter Classic drew an NHL-record 71,217 fans to Ralph Wilson Stadium for a Pittsburgh-Buffalo game Jan. 1.

Yankee Stadium was an early favorite for the 2009 game, but logistical concerns, coupled with lobbying from Blackhawks brass and the mayor's office, turned the stick in Chicago's direction.

After the NHL's official announcement, the Hawks are expected to hold a publicity-generating event next week at Wrigley.

Five rings, 106 voices

We knew Bob Costas would be the point guard for NBC's coverage of the Beijing Olympics. The 19-time Emmy Award winner will serve as prime-time host for the Games, which begin Aug. 8.

But who knew Costas would have to share the ball with a staggering 105 commentators?

NBC will formally announce its talent lineup Wednesday, but a sneak peak revealed many familiar names (Jim Lampley, Cris Collinsworth, Mary Carillo, Jimmy Roberts) and up-and-comers (Alex Flanagan, Matt Vasgersian, Melissa Stark).

Wrestling champion Rulon Gardner and famous gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi will make their Olympic broadcasting debuts.

The 10-member basketball TV crew will feature both Doug "Don't Believe the Rumors" Collins and Evanston resident Eric Collins.

NBC will broadcast an unprecedented 3,600 hours of Olympic coverage from Beijing across numerous platforms. "The most ambitious single media project in history," the network is calling it.

Score one for North

WLS-AM 890 is on the verge of tendering an offer to former WSCR-AM 670 morning man Mike North, according to an industry source. But the source said North, with his eyes on another potential deal, might decline it.

The morning slot at WLS has been occupied by "Don Wade & Roma" since 1985. The hosts' contracts are up in November.

WLS program director Kipper McGee did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Remote patrol

The NFL Network on Wednesday will introduce Bob Papa as its new play-by-play announcer. Papa, radio voice of the New York Giants, replaces Bryant Gumbel and will team up with Collinsworth. … HBO's "Costas Now" will go live at 8 p.m. Wednesday with a special baseball-themed show featuring Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Frank Robinson that will examine the state of the game. … Tom Watson will join Mike Tirico and Paul Azinger for ABC's coverage of the 137th British Open, which begins Thursday (6 a.m., TNT). … The Big Ten Network presents Rashard Mendenhall's "Journey to the NFL" at 8 p.m. Thursday. The 30-minute program follows the former Illinois running back from the Rose Bowl to the NFL draft. … HBO has begun production on a documentary chronicling the integration of college football in the South. … The Cubs drew an average pre-All-Star break rating of 4.9 (170,000 households per game) on Comcast SportsNet, up 53 percent over last year. The Sox are at 1.9, a 27 percent increase.

tgreenstein@tribune.com

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