Students living in residence halls clamoring for White Sox and Cubs games on their televisions could be aided by a new voting system, but hurt by the upcoming formation of a new cable channel.

As previously reported in the Northern Star, the residence halls don’t offer Fox Sports Net (FSN), which broadcasts several Cubs and White Sox games each year, prompting some students to complain about the lack of access when both teams were in the midst of pennant races.

While the budgetary constraints that prevented the addition of FSN in September remain, the Residence Hall Association is in the process of developing a new Web site that would allow students to vote on which cable channels should be kept, discarded and ordered.

RHA President Keith Kruchten said the Web site should launch early February and will allow students a voice in the selection process.

“If we were to add Fox Sports Net, that would mean we would have to take a channel away because of system limitations,” Kruchten said. “If we get enough input that people actually want to do this, we would have to determine what channels we would take away.”

David Dunlap, coordinator of marketing and public relations for Student Housing and Dining Services, cautioned that money would have to be diverted from other areas.

“Sixty thousand dollars is quite a lot of money in the current climate,” Dunlap said. “Our department, in conjunction with RHA and possibly other parties on campus, could decide that this is a sufficient justification to go forward on this, as opposed to spending $60,000 on some other kind of projects.”

Complicating matters is the decision made by the Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox to form a new jointly-owned regional cable network that they would own jointly. Comcast SportsNet Chicago (CSNC) will air all non-WGN games that FSN normally would broadcast. The channel is expected to debut next October.

Dunlap said CSNC hasn’t offered specifics yet.

“We have heard of it and we have discussed it, but so much is up in the air,” Dunlap said. “They don’t have any actual plans or policies yet, nor have we been contacted by them yet.”

Chris Helein, director of communications for Comcast SportsNet, said the channel is still in the planning stages, and affiliate agreements will not be finalized for a couple of months.

Kruchten said the new channel makes it unlikely that FSN will be added.

“I would love to be able to have all the Chicago teams on the cable system here because we do have such a large group of residents here that are from the Chicago area, and I hear it every fall when the playoffs are coming up and if one or both of the teams are doing well,” Kruchten said. “I know a big push was that the Cubs and White Sox and whoever else are on Fox Sports Net, but they probably won’t be anymore. Adding Fox Sports Net this semester is highly unlikely. In my opinion, it wouldn’t be worth it for just one or two semesters.”