Comcast’s CSN Chicago said it will live stream the upcoing season's Major League Baseball games featuring the World Champion Cubs as well as the White Sox.

The games will be available to authenticated pay TV subscribers via CSNChicago.com and the NBC Sports app. CSN Chicago also will stream its pre- and post-game shows.

Baseball games were not previously available online because of tangled rights issues and legacy issues related to defining each team’s home markets. Last year, Fox’s regional sports networks made deals to stream games, and now the floodgates seem to be fully open.

“With live streaming currently offered for our Bulls [NBA] and Blackhawks [NHL] telecasts, the addition of MLB streaming further illustrates our commitment to provide our viewers with the most in-depth and compelling Cubs and White Sox content in and out of the home and on any device,” said Phil Bedella, VP/GM of CSN Chicago.

CSN Chicago is a partnership of the NBC Sports Group with the Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks and Bulls.

Read more at broadcastingcable.com.

By all accounts, the Chicago Bulls have yet to hit full stride on court, but CSN Chicago is charging with team telecasts.

Through Feb. 4, CSN Chicago has scored a 65% rise in household ratings to a 4.8 mark in the DMA, up from a 2.9 average at that stage of the 2013-14 season, according to Nielsen data. That translates into some 167, 2500 households on average in the Windy City.

The demo growth has been even stronger, with the RSN ringing up gains in all demos, notably a 113% increase among adults 18 to 49 and 116% against adults 25 to 54.

Deliveries have benefited from the Jan. 5 game against Houston that notched a 7.59 rating and 264,000 households to stand as the network’s second-highest-rated Bulls regular-season telecast behind the 8.73 mark versus Indiana on Jan. 25, 2012.

Meanwhile, the ratings for Bulls Pregame Live presented by Miller Lite household ratings rose 38% compared to la while Kia Bulls Postgame Live ratings were up 35%.

On the digital side of the court, CSN Chicago’s rookie season of in-market, live streaming of Bulls game simulcasts on CSNChicago.com and the NBC Sports Live Extra app has generated some 3 million total minutes watched thus far, according to Adobe Reports & Analytics.

The Jan. 27 Bulls-Golden State game ranks as the most-streamed game to date, with some 326,000 minutes, 5,800 in-game visits and 12,000 live starts.

Although the Bulls currently reside atop the NBA Central, many believe the club is not yet playing its best basketball, as it looks to better integrate the talents of oft-injured point guard Derrick Rose and free-agent acquisition Pau Gasol. Many deem Chicago to be one of the favorites to emerge from the Eastern Conference to reach the NBA Finals, and a strong run-up to the playoffs would potentially serve to boost CSN's ratings roll even higher.

Comcast SportsNet Chicago is looking to connect with documentary aimed at viewers with a soft spot for the man nicknamed "The Big Hurt."

To commemorate his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on July 27, CSN Chicago will debut Welcome to Cooperstown: Frank Thomas on July 17 at 6:30 p.m. (CT). Check out a clip here.

The one-hour Comcast SportsNet original production chronicles the life and playing career of the White Sox legend. Narrated by author, radio host, columnist, and lifelong Chisox fan Richard Roeper, the doc provides an in-depth look at Thomas’ personal and professional life from his childhood days being a three-sports star in Columbus, Ga, to his historic, record-breaking career with the White Sox, in which he won back-to-back American League MVP honors in 1993 and 1994, and to his receiving the official call that will enshrine his legacy.

In addition to the exclusive interviews with Thomas, now in his third year as studio analyst for White Sox baseball on CSN, Welcome to Cooperstown also includes interviews with numerous baseball notables, including White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf; White Sox television play-by-play announcer Ken “Hawk” Harrelson and former White Sox analyst Tom Paciorek;  Thomas’ Columbus High School baseball coach Bobby Howard, former White Sox batting instructor Walt Hriniak, sports psychologist Jim Fannin; ex- White Sox teammate Paul Konerko; Oakland Athletics general manage Biilly Beane, Los Angeles Angels, Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Dodgers managers Mike Scioscia, Ron Washington and Don Mattingly, among others.

CSNChicago.com's White Sox section will also present additional exclusive excerpts that are not part of the film.

CSN Chicago is also pitching fans fans to share their thoughts, memories and comments on social media by utilizing the Twitter hashtag #BigHurtHOF during the doc’s debut. Comcast SportsNet’s Twitter handle -- @CSNChicago -- will be retweeting a number of fan tweets that evening, plus – a select number of fan tweets using the #BigHurtHOF hashtag will have the opportunity to win a CSN prize pack, special autographed items, including a signed Thomas bat.   

Immediately following the film’s premiere at 7:30 p.m., CSN Chicago will encore SportChannel’s telecast the White Sox’ game from July 27, 1993, when Thomas put the hurt on the Cleveland Indians with a pair of homers as part of 4-4, five RBI performance.

CSN will also re-air the documentary on July 17 at 10 p.m., as well as Saturday, July 26 at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, July 27 at 4:30 p.m. the day of Thomas officially becomes a member of Cooperstown's illustrious fraternity.