Chicago Sports Network president and CEO Jason Coyle will step down from his positions and be replaced by COO Mike McCarthy, the network announced Monday. Coyle, who oversaw CHSN’s launch, will become advisor to the board of directors.
McCarthy was the general manager at Marquee Sports Network, which he oversaw from its launch in 2020 through 2023, when he stepped down for health reasons. McCarthy was an advisor to Coyle, who brought McCarthy in, before becoming COO in June.
“Launching CHSN alongside such a dedicated and talented group of professionals has been the most rewarding experience of my career,” Coyle said in a statement. “Together, we built something truly special to be experienced and enjoyed by Chicago sports fans for years to come. I’m proud of what we have accomplished so far in such a short time, and I know the network is in excellent hands with Mike and CHSN’s outstanding team going forward.”
Coyle led the effort to get CHSN, the home of the White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks, on the air in under six months. Though it launched with an over-the-air signal and carriage agreements with DirectTV satellite and RCN cable, it didn’t appear on Comcast, the leading pay-TV provider in the market, until June. As part of the deal, CHSN had to sunset its local OTA signal. But it did launch its direct-to-consumer service last November.
Before coming to Chicago, McCarthy was president of MSG Network in New York. He also was vice chairman and CEO of the NHL’s Blues and COO of the NBA’s Bucks.
“Jason’s leadership and vision were instrumental in bringing CHSN to life,” McCarthy said. “I look forward to working closely with our ownership group, team partners and the great staff at CHSN to continue building on that foundation and solidifying Chicago Sports Network as a premier brand for sports entertainment in Chicago.”
Earlier this month, CHSN let go of several members of its digital staff, as well as two executives. The network appeared to overhire to help get it up and running and is now looking to find its financial level.
On the programming side, CHSN received 12 nominations for Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards, including sports excellence. Winners will be announced Nov. 1.