Chicago TV sports shakeup: Lou Canellis jumps from Fox 32 to NBC 5
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Lou Canellis. Photo: Courtesy of NBC 5
One of Chicago's preeminent sports anchors is switching teams.
The latest: Lou Canellis is leaving Fox 32 after 16 years to be the face of the newly revamped NBC 5 sports department.
What they're saying: "As a Chicago kid who grew up in Oak Lawn, I told my dad my dream was to be a household name in my hometown — to be the next Mark Giangreco, Tim Weigel, or Johnny Morris," Canellis said in a statement.
- "I can't wait to bring my loyalty to our local teams and my passion for the work I love to NBC 5 Chicago."
State of play: The move coincides with NBC 5's firing of Mike Berman, who had been the de facto lead sports anchor since Leila Rahimi left in 2024.
- Since Rahimi's departure, NBC 5 has used Berman and a rotating cast of anchors to fill the role, including Jeff Blanzy and Kacy Standohar.
Zoom out: With Canellis, NBC 5 is betting big on bringing back sports coverage to the local network that used to dominate that area with legends like Mark Giangreco, Warner Saunders and Mike Adamle.
- Canellis' move will stack up with some of the more notable shifts in local broadcasting history, including Giangreco's huge move from NBC to ABC 7 in 1994.
Context: He has spent 40 years in Chicago covering sports, both on radio and television.
- "Lou has established himself as one of the most respected and beloved voices in Chicago sports media history," NBC 5 vice president Sally Ramirez said in a press release.
- "His knowledge, passion, and enthusiasm are second to none, and we couldn't be happier to have him join our team of all‑stars at NBC 5."
The intrigue: While Canellis will undoubtedly bring more sports coverage, including Sports Sunday, the station doesn't broadcast any local teams.
Yes, but: NBC is now home to national NBA coverage and the network will broadcast the Olympics. NBC 5 will air a special Olympics highlights and features show co-hosted by Canellis and news anchor Allison Rosati, starting Feb. 7.
The bottom line: Chicago loves its sports coverage and this shakeup could bolster NBC 5's stake in the market.