NBC Sports Chicago is adapting the format it used in its basketball post-postgame show, “Bulls Outsiders,” to launch “Outside the Ivy” following the wrap-ups of weeknight Cubs telecasts.
“Ivy,” which will follow “Cubs Postgame Live” on weeknights NBC Sports Chicago carries a 7 p.m.-ish Cubs telecast, is set to make its debut late Wednesday after the Phillies-Cubs postgame show.
Hosted by bloggers Michael Cerami, Danny Rockett and Luis Medina — billed as “die-hard Cubs fans” — the half-hour live multiplatform program also will follow the postgame show of a few 6 p.m. Cubs starts on the channel.
Additionally, there are extra editions planned for special events, such as the Cubs-White Sox series, the All-Star break and the MLB trade deadline.
Cerami, 27, and Medina, 31, are bloggers for Bleacher Nation. Rockett, 44, hosts the Son Ranto podcast and contributes to SB Nation’s Bleed Cubbie Blue blog.
A Tribune column in December summed up “Bulls Outsiders” by saying: “The trio of men on ‘Outsiders’ are meant to evoke a fan experience of some sort, but actual fans would be a lot less amused this season with the Bulls, not to mention themselves.”
But NBC Sports Chicago says “Outside the Ivy” will provide “the hottest takes and spirited commentary from the fans’ perspective.”
The Cubs maintain an ownership stake in NBC Sports Chicago until October, but it is not known to what, if any extent that will temper the heat of those “takes.”
Besides being on cable television, “Ivy” will be available to validated viewers through NBC Sports Chicago’s website, its MyTeams by NBC Sports app and its Facebook page. Viewers will be encouraged to contribute through Twitter and Facebook Live.
philrosenthal@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @phil_rosenthal
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