The Los Angeles Chargers and CBS 2 Los Angeles today announced a multi-year broadcast partnership that makes CBS 2 the Official Preseason Television Home of the Los Angeles Chargers as well as a year-round media partner. The announcement was made by A.G. Spanos, Chargers President of Business Operations, and Jay Howell, President and General Manager of CBS 2 and independent sister station KCAL 9.
As the Chargers' official preseason television partner, CBS 2 will have exclusive rights to over-the-air English language broadcasts of all Chargers preseason home and away games – excluding games nationally televised by a National Football League national television partner other than CBS – throughout the Los Angeles market.
CBS 2 Sports Anchor Jim Hill, a former Chargers defensive back who was the Bolts' first-round pick in the 1968 NFL Draft, will lead the station's coverage of the Chargers during CBS 2 newscasts and weekend editions of "Sports Central." In addition to preseason Chargers broadcasts and bringing viewers the latest Chargers news, highlights and features year-round across all CBS Los Angeles platforms, CBS 2 will air a weekly 30-minute Chargers show in the 6:30-7:00 pm time slot on Saturdays during the NFL season. The Chargers and CBS 2 will also join forces to support both organizations' community and tent-pole events throughout the year such as CBS 2's "Stephanie's Day" and the Chargers' "Community Tuesdays" and annual Draft Party.
"Everyone at CBS 2 is thrilled to reestablish our partnership with the Chargers," Howell said. "Jim Hill and many of our other employees have long had a great working relationship with the Spanos family, as well as Chargers players, coaches and front office staff. It's great for us to grow our partnership with the team as it prepares to move into SoFi Stadium and start an exciting new chapter in franchise history. The Chargers are the perfect fit for CBS 2 and our viewers, as this new partnership agreement includes preseason game rights that dovetail nicely with CBS Sports' rights to AFC regular season and playoff games."
"We couldn't be more excited to partner with CBS 2 as we open our SoFi Stadium home this year and enter a new era of Los Angeles Chargers football," said Spanos. "This truly is the perfect partnership on a number of levels. Not only did CBS 2 carry 11 of our 16 regular season games last season but Jim Hill, prior to becoming the sports broadcasting icon that he is here in Los Angeles, is a former first-round draft pick of ours and a beloved Chargers alum. When you consider Jim's increased involvement with the franchise, the year-round coverage, first-rate preseason telecasts, in-depth features, off-field community collaboration and extensive postgame analysis of regular season contests, we simply can't wait for the 2020 season to kick off and have CBS 2 right there with us."
