Bulls/NBA Playoffs coverage returns to Comcast SportsNet

First Round Coverage Begins this Saturday, April 18 at 5:00 PM CT!

Network to carry exclusive Bulls vs. Bucks “Hometown Call” coverage featuring Neil Funk & Stacey King!

Comcast SportsNet to air Games 1-4 in the Chicago Market (and Games 5-7 if nec.)

Live coverage available to authenticated subscribers on CSNChicago.com and via the NBA Sports Live Extra app

CSNChicago.com to provide LIVE video stream of EVERY Bulls post-game press conference, plus exclusive behind-the-scenes video from team practices and post-game reports from Bulls “Insider” Vincent Goodwill

“SportsNet Central: Bulls Playoffs Preview” special airs TONIGHT (Thu, Apr. 16) at 10:30 PM

Chicago, IL (April 16, 2015) – Comcast SportsNet, the television home for the most games and most comprehensive coverage of the Chicago Bulls, is ready to deliver electrifying 2015 NBA Playoffs “Hometown Call” coverage as the Bulls look to further extend their season in Eastern Conference first round action against the division rival Milwaukee Bucks.  Comcast SportsNet will be the exclusive “local” television home in the Chicago market to see live coverage of Games 1-4, along with Games 5-7 if necessary, featuring the always-entertaining Bulls announcing tandem of Neil Funk & Stacey King.

In addition -- for the first time ever -- Comcast SportsNet’s live first round Bulls NBA Playoffs telecasts, including surrounding Bulls Pre/Postgame Live coverage, will be streamed live on CSNChicago.com and available via the NBC Sports Live Extra app on tablets and smart phones.  Authenticated Comcast SportsNet Chicago subscribers can watch live Bulls playoffs action from anywhere in the United States.  The live streaming service is currently available to customers of Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH Network, AT&T U-verse, Mediacom, RCN, and Cedar Falls (IA) Utilities.  For more information about CSN Chicago’s live streaming service of Bulls games, viewers are urged to visit the following link: csnchicago.com/page/live-extra-faq.

Comcast SportsNet’s Chicago Bulls/NBA Playoffs first round coverage gets underway this Saturday, April 18 beginning at 5:00 PM CT with a special, one-hour edition of Bulls Pregame Live presented by Coors Light, featuring hosts Mark Schanowski and former Bulls center Will Perdue LIVE from the United Center.  Bulls Pregame Live will provide a complete Game 1 preview, analysis, interviews, along with the latest team/player news and updates from Bulls beat reporter Chuck Garfien & CSNChicago.com Bulls “Insider” Vincent Goodwill.

Then, at 6:00 PM, fans can look forward to the exclusive “Hometown Call” coverage of Game 1 between the Bulls and Bucks live from the United Center featuring Neil & Stacey with the game call.  Immediately following Saturday’s playoff opener and after every Bulls playoff game, Comcast SportsNet will carry Kia Bulls Postgame Live (hosted by Schanowski & Perdue), featuring live locker room interviews, detailed analysis, along with head coach Tom Thibodeau’s post-game press conference and numerous player interviews.  (Comcast SportsNet’s complete Bulls first round coverage schedule is included in this release.)

 TONIGHT (Thu, Apr. 16) at 10:30 PM, Bulls fans can look forward to an NBA Playoffs primer with SportsNet Central: Bulls Playoffs Preview.  This half-hour special, hosted by Schanowski & Perdue, will provide a detailed, inside look at the Bulls vs. Bucks first round match-up, a recap of every regular season game against the Bucks, along with the very latest player status updates, a look back at the entire regular season featuring key highlights, plus - player/coaches interviews and an overview of the entire NBA Playoffs picture with analysis on both conferences.

Throughout the playoffs, viewers are also urged to tune in nightly to SportsNet Central (presented by GMC at 10:00 & 10:30PM and presented by CLR at midnight; times may vary due to airing of live events) for the most in-depth NBA Playoffs coverage, including game recaps, previews, up-to-the-minute team/player updates, interviews and numerous playoff highlights from around the league. 

Also, throughout the playoffs, Comcast SportsNet’s comprehensive website, CSNChicago.com, will provide fans with even more exclusive Bulls/NBA Playoffs content including the following:

• CSNChicago.com will stream EVERY Bulls postgame press conference LIVE (sponsored by Xfinity) providing insider access to head coach Tom Thibodeau addressing the media as it happens.
• CSNChicago.com Bulls “Insider” Vincent Goodwill will be on-site -- for EVERY Bulls playoff game -- filing stories and video for each game and team practices, plus Goodwill will provide up-to-the-second Tweets via @vgoodwill throughout the series, as will CSNChicago.com Bulls digital reporter Mark Strotman (@MarkStrot).  Strotman will also provide Bulls coverage and opponent perspective/reports throughout the series.
• Video highlights from every Bulls playoff game, including in-game highlights at halftime.  Pre-game interviews from team practices will also be provided, as well as extensive post-game reaction from the locker room and analysis from the “Kia Bulls Postgame Live” team.
• “Bulls Pulse presented by AT&T U-Verse,” a one-stop social media hub that reveals the latest trending topics and player buzz from Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.  Plus, “Bulls Pulse” aggregates all Bulls player tweets, along with fan tweets that utilize the hashtag #BullsTalk. For additional 24/7 team updates on Twitter, fans are urged to follow @CSNBulls.

• BullsTalk, CSNChicago.com’s high-velocity, real-time, comprehensive Bulls news and opinion section featuring original commentary, reporting and aggregation. BullsTalk is under the banner of NBC SportsTalk, NBC’s successful digital franchise on NBCSports.com that includes ProFootballTalk, HardballTalk, ProBaskteballTalk, ProHockeyTalk, CollegeFootballTalk and GolfTalkCentral. SportsTalk was extended to CSNChicago.com through the creation of BlackhawksTalk, BullsTalk, CubsTalk, WhiteSoxTalk, BearsTalk, ChiFireTalk, PrepsTalk, IrishTalk and B1GTalk, which contains interactive content and continually updated insights from the network’s digital and on-air talent.
• CSNChicago.com’s new state-of-the-art “AT&T U-Verse Lounge” to provide expanded Bulls playoffs content through daily and weekly shows and segments.

• Expanded coverage from Mark Schanowski, Will Perdue and Chuck Garfien, CSN Chicago’s Bulls reporting team will provide pre-game and post-game coverage throughout the playoffs, along with digital content contribution and videos for CSNChicago.com throughout the season.  Follow them on Twitter @MarkSchanowski, @Will_Perdue32, and @ChuckGarfien.

• CSNChicago.com and Bulls.com will collaborate in content creation and distribution throughout the playoffs to provide fans in-depth player interviews and features plus behind-the-scenes access to everything going on and off-the-ice within the Bulls organization. 
• CSNChicago.com’s Bulls content will also be distributed via its digital network of partnerships, including NBCSports.com, NBCNews.com, Yahoo! Sports and Xfinity.com.

Note the following first round schedule of games and additional coverage information on Comcast SportsNet: 

CHICAGO BULLS vs. MILWAUKEE BUCKS on COMCAST SPORTSNET, CSNCHICAGO.COM & NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA 

* Game 1: Sat, April 18, 6:00 PM – Bulls vs. Bucks (United Center)

(NOTES: Bulls/NBA Playoffs coverage on Comcast SportsNet begins at 5:00 PM with a special, one-hour edition of Bulls Pregame Live from the United Center with Bulls Postgame Live immediately following the game; SportsNet Central will air 10:00 PM/10:30 PM with even more comprehensive Bulls/NBA Playoffs coverage; game replay at 11:00 PM)

* Game 2: Mon, April 20, 7:00 PM – Bulls vs. Bucks (United Center)

(NOTES: Bulls/NBA Playoffs coverage on Comcast SportsNet begins at 5:00 PM with a special Bulls-focused edition of SportsTalk Live hosted by David Kaplan LIVE from the United Center, which will be followed by SportsNet Central at 6:00 PM; Bulls Pregame Live airs at 6:30 PM live from the UC with Bulls Postgame Live immediately following the game; which will be then followed by an expanded edition of SportsNet Central with even more comprehensive Bulls/NBA Playoffs coverage; game replay at 11:00 PM)

-- IMPORTANT CUBS NOTE:  The Cubs at Pittsburgh game (originally scheduled to air on Comcast SportsNet) will now move to CSN+/CSN+HD (coverage begins at 6:00 PM; viewers urged to visit CSNChicago.com for exact channel locations in their area).

* Game 3: Thu, April 23, 7:00 PM – Bulls at Bucks (BMO Harris Bradley Center)

TWO POTENTIAL SCENARIOS THIS DAY…

1)    IF THE BLACKHAWKS FACE NASHVILLE IN GAME 5 OF THEIR FIRST ROUND STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS SERIES (TIME TBD), THE BLACKHAWKS GAME WILL AIR ON THE MAIN COMCAST SPORTSNET CHANNEL LOCATION…THE BULLS AT BUCKS GAME WOULD THEN AIR ON CSN+. (LIVE, ONE-HOUR PRE-GAME COVERAGE TO BEGIN AT 6:00 PM) (CSN+ CHANNEL LOCATIONS INFORMATION AVAILABLE HERE: csnchicago.com/channel-finder)  

(NOTES: Bulls Pregame Live at 6:00 PM/Bulls Postgame Live after the game; SportsNet Central at 10:00/10:30 PM with even more comprehensive Bulls/NBA Playoffs coverage; game replay at 11:00 PM)

-- VERY IMPORTANT WHITE SOX NOTE:  The White Sox vs. Kansas City game at 7:00 PM (currently scheduled to air on CSN+) will move to CSN+2 (available on NBC 5 Chicago’s 5.2 digital channel Cozi TV on Comcast Cable systems throughout the Chicago area on ch. 341, along being available on a variety of additional distributors; CSN+2 channel location details will be available here: csnchicago.com/channel-finder). 

2)     IF THE BLACKHAWKS DO NOT FACE NASHVILLE IN GAME 5 OF THEIR FIRST ROUND STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS SERIES…THE BULLS AT BUCKS GAME WOULD THEN AIR ON THE MAIN COMCAST SPORTSNET CHANNEL LOCATION. 

(NOTES: Bulls Pregame Live at 6:00 PM/Bulls Postgame Live after the game; SportsNet Central at 10:00/10:30 PM with even more comprehensive Bulls/NBA Playoffs coverage; game replay at 11:00 PM) 

-- IMPORTANT WHITE SOX NOTE:  The White Sox vs. Kansas City game will now move to CSN+/CSN+HD (coverage begins at 6:30 PM; viewers urged to visit CSNChicago.com for exact channel locations in their area).

* Game 4: Sat, April 25, 4:30 PM – Bulls at Bucks (BMO Harris Bradley Center)

(NOTES: Bulls Pregame Live begins at 4:00 PM with Bulls Postgame Live immediately following the game; SportsNet Central will air 10:00 PM/10:30 PM with even more comprehensive Bulls/NBA Playoffs coverage; game replay at 11:00 PM)

-- IMPORTANT WHITE SOX NOTE:  The White Sox vs. Kansas City game will air on both the main Comcast SportsNet channel location (until 4:00PM) and CSN+/CSN+HD (live game day coverage begins at 12:30 PM; viewers urged to visit CSNChicago.com for exact channel locations in their area).

* Game 5:  Mon, Apr. 27 (Time TBD) – Bulls vs. Bucks (United Center) (if necessary)

* Game 6: Thu, Apr. 30 (Time TBD) – Bulls at Bucks (BMO Harris Bradley Center) (if necessary)

* Game 7:  Sat, May 2 (Time TBD) – Bulls vs. Bucks (United Center) (if necessary)

ALL TIMES ARE CENTRAL TIME