NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State Athletics will maintain its television footprint in the Chicago media market for the 2018 Redbird football season, with four live game broadcasts scheduled on NBC Sports Chicago. The behind-the-scenes Redbird football series "The Next Step" is also set to return this fall, after Redbird Sports Properties signed an agreement with Illinois State's longtime broadcast partner.
Redbird fans who receive NBC Sports Chicago will be able to watch the Sept. 1 (Saint Xavier) and the Sept. 8 (Eastern Illinois) games live on NBC Sports Chicago Plus beginning at 6:30 p.m. The Oct. 6 contest against Western Illinois will air live on the main NBC Sports Chicago channel at 2 p.m. The regular-season finale on Nov. 17 against Youngstown State will also air on NBC Sports Chicago at noon. Kurt Pegler and former Redbird All-American long snapper Chris Highland will return as the broadcasting team, with RC McBride checking in from the sidelines.
"The Next Step" also returns to give fans a glimpse into what the team has done during the offseason in preparation for 2018. Redbird Productions will create three, 30-minute episodes set to be broadcast on NBC Sports Chicago beginning Thursday, Aug. 16 at 5 p.m. Episode two will air Aug. 23 at 5:30 p.m., and the final episode will be broadcast Aug. 30 at 5:30 p.m., just two days before the season opener Sept. 1 against SXU.
NBC Sports Chicago, which is the television home for the most games and comprehensive coverage of the Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox, is available on a majority of cable outlets in the state of Illinois, as well as on satellite via DirectTV and Dish Network and a variety of streaming services.
For NBC Sports Chicago channel information, click on the "fans" tab on GoRedbirds.com and select NBC Sports Chicago Channel Finder. Once there, type in the ZIP code where the broadcast will be watched, and a complete channel listing will appear for cable and satellite providers in that area.
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