30, 2024, expiration of the NBC Sports Chicago partnership between NBCUniversal and the Chicago teams. Sources familiar with Kaplan's contract said he had close to two years remaining, coinciding with the Sept. He hosted several pre- and post-game broadcasts as well as "SportsTalk Live," a talk show that ran for 16 years-previously called "Chicago Tribune Live"-and ended in 2020.Īccepting the buyout "was an opportunity I could not say no to," Kaplan said in an interview with Crain's. Kaplan, who turns 62 tomorrow, has spent years as the face of several shows that air around those games. The network broadcasts all three teams' games in Chicago and other nearby markets. The pain has been severe for regional sports networks like NBC Sports Chicago, which is co-owned by Chicago Bulls and White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf and Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz, in partnership with NBCUniversal. The New York-based media giant is cutting expenses as many subscribers abandon cable in favor of streaming services, cord-cutting that for years has whittled revenue from linear networks. The departure comes as NBCUniversal offers buyouts to employees that are age 57 or older and have been at the company for at least 10 years, according to multiple reports on the move. Hood" morning show on WMVP-AM/1000, or ESPN 1000, with co-host Jonathan Hood. "But this is far from a retirement," he added, noting that he will continue to host the "Kap and J. "I was presented an opportunity that will allow me to spend a lot more time with my wife Mindy, our four sons and their expanding families," Kaplan said in a YouTube video posted yesterday.
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