• Chicago Tribune, Wednesday, October 14, 2009 10:45 AM

Chicago's venerable football and hockey teams -- the Bears and the Blackhawks -- are partnering in a TV ad campaign, giving each the opportunity to bask in the other's glow, writes columnist Phil Rosenthal.

Five commercials pairing Hawks and Bears players were shot in Lake Forest, Ill., yesterday. Quarterback Jay Cutler and Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews trade tips on passing accuracy; linebacker Lance Briggs and defenseman Brent Seabrook compare notes on big hits. The first spot will begin airing in a few weeks. The Hawks paid to produce the ads and will buy air time; the Bears are donating time on programs they own.

"I'll give credit to the Blackhawks. They approached us," says Chris Hibbs, Bears senior director of sales and marketing. "They were very candid in saying: 'We need a way to reach a whole bunch of our core fans. ... If we take on a lot of the risks and costs, are you guys up for it?'"

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