Black Hawks, Red Wings set for New Year's outdoor game at Wrigley

It will become officially official Wednesday: The NHL will award the 2009 Winter Classic to the Blackhawks, who will play host to Detroit at Wrigley Field on Jan. 1, 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 to Ralph Wilson Stadium for a Pittsburgh-Buffalo game this past January.

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 legendary 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.

REMOTE PATROL

The NFL Network on Wednesday will introduce Bob Papa as its new play-by-play announcer. Papa, the 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 Sports- Net, up 53 percent over last year. The Sox are at 1.9, a 27 percent increase.

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