Jim Corno Sr., Comcast SportsNet President With Hinsdale Ties, Dies at 66

James J. "Jim" Corno, Sr., 66, a Naperville and Hinsdale resident, died Dec. 10 at Edward Hospital in Naperville after a long fight with cancer, according to an obituary posted on Friedrich-Jones Funeral Home's website.

Mr. Corno was a major player in Chicago sports broadcasting, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, having run SportsVision, SportsChannel, Fox Sports Net and Comcast SportsNet.

After working for KPLR in his hometown of St. Louis for the first decade of his TV broadcasting career, his obituary reads, Mr. Corno went on to work at WTOP-TV in Washington, D.C., and WDIV-TV in Detroit before coming to Chicago in 1984 to head SportsVision, a new regional sports network.

SportsVision eventually became SportsChannel, on which Mr. Corno aired "The SportsChannel Report" and "Sports Writers on TV."

He moved on to Fox Sports Net in the late '90s. 

The follow are excerpts from Mr. Corno's obituary: 

When the Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox were given an opportunity to opt out of their contract with Fox Sports Net and partner with Comcast to form a brand new regional sports network, there was only one man they wanted to start it up. With the latest transition, Jim launched his fourth regional sports network—Comcast SportsNet Chicago—on Oct. 1, 2004. The city's acclaimed 24-hour sports television network, Comcast SportsNet has provided in-depth game, pre-game, and post-game coverage for the Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs, and White Sox, plus Bears post-game analysis. In addition, the network launched SportsNet Central, the area's most comprehensive nightly local sports news show.

Jim Corno's impact on Chicago television has been nothing short of monumental. He was a visionary, a pioneer, a man who loved knowing that his network was being watched by thousands of viewers each and every night.

Mr. Corno also put together the annual Sports Awards dinner that has raised over $10 million for March of Dimes during the last 25 years. 

Mr. Corno is survived by his wife, Carolyn Corno; children James J. "Jim" Corno, Jr., and Christina Westle; and grandchildren Jackson, Max, Mitchell, Joseph and Scott. 

In lieu of flowers, the Corno family has asked that donations be made to the Oncology Fund, c/o Edward Foundation, 801 S. Washington St., Naperville. "In Honor of Jim Corno Sr." can be written on the memo line.

Read Mr. Corno's full obituary here. 

If you have an obituary you'd like to post on Patch, email the editor at joe.odonnell@patch.com.

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