Bulls expert Mark Schanowski cutting back at NBC Sports Chicago

Mark Schanowski, the affable and authoritative Chicago Bulls basketball analyst who's been a prominent player on the local sports media scene for three decades, is cutting back his workload at NBC Sports Chicago.

Schanowski announced Friday he's reducing his role "to enjoy more time with family and friends." While stepping down as host of Bulls "Pregame/Postgame Live" shows, he'll continue to be a primary contributor on the Bulls for the regional sports network.

Starting October 23, NBC Sports Chicago will be the exclusive TV outlet for all 82 regular-season Bulls games. And for the first time ever, every Bulls game will be streamed live on NBCSportsChicago.com and the "MyTeams by NBC Sports" app.

"Basketball has always been my favorite sport, and I am excited about the prospects for the Bulls to show significant improvement in the season ahead," Schanowski said. "I will be watching the Bulls and the rest of the NBA teams very closely and look forward to continuing to contribute to NBC Sports Chicago's coverage on all our various platforms."

Schanowski, 62, has been a mainstay on the Bulls beat for NBC Sport Chicago and its predecessor since 2006. Earlier he also was a primary co-anchor on "SportsNet Central." As a sports anchor and reporter, he previously spent eight years at NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5 and eight years at ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7.

A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, he began his career as sports director at WICD, the ABC affiliate in Champaign, and sports reporter at WISN, the ABC affiliate in Milwaukee.

Kevin Cross, senior vice president and general manager of NBC Sports Chicago, said in a statement: "Mark has been a valuable member of our staff for many years and has established himself as one our city's best Bulls/NBA analysts. Although he will be taking a step back from the day-to-day grind, we're very pleased Mark will continue to remain a member of the NBC Sports Chicago family."