Marquee Sports Network

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CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaCentral and Northern Illinois, Central, Northern and Western Indiana, Iowa, Southwestern Michigan, Central and Eastern Nebraska, Southeastern Wisconsin
Nationwide (via satellite)
HeadquartersChicago, Illinois
LanguageEnglish
Marquee Sports Network
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaCentral and Northern Illinois, Central, Northern and Western Indiana, Iowa, Southwestern Michigan, Central and Eastern Nebraska, Southeastern Wisconsin
Nationwide (via satellite)
HeadquartersChicago, Illinois
Programming
LanguageEnglish
Picture formatHDTV 1080p
Ownership
OwnerChicago Cubs (50%)
Sinclair Broadcast Group (50%)
History
LaunchedFebruary 22, 2020; 6 years ago (2020-02-22)
ReplacedNBC Sports Chicago
WGN Sports
WLS-TV
Links
Webcastwatchmarquee.com/watchnow
Websitewww.marqueesportsnetwork.com
Availability
Streaming media
DirecTV StreamInternet Protocol television
FuboTVInternet Protocol television

Marquee Sports Network is a regional sports network operated by the Chicago Cubs and the Sinclair Broadcast Group, launched on February 22, 2020. It replaced a trio of channels (cable channel NBC Sports Chicago and broadcast partners WGN-TV and WLS-TV) as the exclusive broadcaster of Cubs games not shown on national TV.[1]

The main entrance marquee outside Wrigley Field, from which the channel derives its name

On November 16, 2015, in an interview with WSCR radio, the Cubs' president of business operations Crane Kenney stated that the team was seeking to launch its own in-house regional sports network after its current broadcast contracts with NBC Sports Chicago, WGN Sports, and WLS-TV expire after the 2019 season.[2][3][4]

On December 18, 2018, it was reported by the Chicago Sun-Times that the team was preparing to launch its RSN, "Marquee", in 2020, and that Sinclair Broadcast Group was a frontrunner to serve as managing partner.[5] Sinclair had previously attempted to purchase WGN's parent company Tribune Media, and ran the national sports network Stadium with the White Sox's investment arm Silver Chalice, prior to selling its stake to Silver Chalice in 2023. The venture was officially announced in February 2019 to be launched in 2020 with Sinclair.[6][7]

On May 22, 2019, Michael McCarthy was named general manager of the Marquee Sports Network after being the Cubs' consultant on the channel.[8] He is the former president of the MSG Network[8] and a former top official with the Milwaukee Bucks (COO) and the St. Louis Blues (vice chairman).[9]

On August 22, 2019, a consortium of Sinclair and Entertainment Studios acquired Fox Sports Networks for $10.6 billion, thus making Marquee a sister to them (FSN previously operated a Chicago network, but it became defunct when Chicago's professional teams abandoned it in favor of a joint venture with Comcast—currently known as NBC Sports Chicago). The divestiture was mandated as part of Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox, who chose not to retain the networks under its successor Fox Corporation.[10][11]

Early reception of Marquee was mixed by fans, culminating in fans booing Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts during the annual Cubs Convention in 2020 after mention of the new network.[12][13]

Marquee Sports Network officially launched on February 22, 2020, at 1 p.m. CT, with its first program being a launch special hosted by actor and Cubs fan Bill Murray, followed by a documentary on Ernie Banks. The channel aired its first live spring training game against the Oakland Athletics at Sloan Park later in the day; the game had been postponed from the afternoon due to the threat of rain.[1][14] However, because the start of the season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, its first regular-season game was not until July 24, 2020.[15]

In October 2020, the Chicago Bears began a partnership with the channel. As part of the agreement, the channel would air a weekly show named "Bear Essentials" as well as a replay of that week's Bears game throughout the season.[16]

Marquee's Cubs broadcasts underwent tweaks for the 2021 season. Alongside its new play-by-play voice Jon Sciambi, the network would no longer require commentators to wear a suit and tie on-air (a mandate made during the inaugural season by executives insisting that Marquee's broadcasts have a "national network quality"), and replaced an unorthodox bottom-centered score bar it had used during the first season with a more traditional scoreboard in the top-left of the screen (a move which also differentiated Marquee from its newly relaunched sister networks in the Bally Sports group, whose on-air branding was derived from that of Marquee, but with an equally-unorthodox integration of a scoreboard and ticker).[17]

The network would use the slogan "We get it" in a marketing campaign to promote the new Cubs season and these tweaks.[18][19][20]

In May 2022, the Chicago Sky announced a multi-year broadcast agreement with the network.[21] Prior to the 2025 season, the Sky announced that The U would be its exclusive broadcast partner, ending the team's relationship with Marquee.[22]

In July 2023, Marquee launched a standalone in-market streaming service priced at $19.99 a month. With the service's launch, Marquee also upgraded its streaming video quality to 1080p.[23] Later that year, in September, the Chicago Bears expanded their partnership with the channel and announced that Marquee would be the team's Official Postgame Show Partner, with the new program being named "The Official Bears Postgame Live". The network would also launch an additional weekly Bears program named "Bears Den".[24]

In 2024, Marquee became the exclusive local broadcast partner of Chicago Stars FC. The following year, the team moved its live local games to WFLD-TV, with Marquee airing reruns and other related coverage.[25]

In December 2025, Marquee announced staff cuts and greatly pared back its non-game coverage.[26]

Talent

The Cubs' previous television commentators Len Kasper (play-by-play) and Jim "J.D." Deshaies (color) retained their roles on Marquee at the channel's launch.[27] On May 1, 2019, it was rumored that David Kaplan—NBC Sports Chicago studio host for Cubs Pregame and Postgame shows—had renewed his contract with the channel, dispelling rumors that he planned to join Marquee.[28] Cole Wright (formerly of NFL Network) was to serve as studio host, and Taylor McGregor (formerly field reporter for the Colorado Rockies on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain) was to serve as field reporter.[29] The channel also brought on Bob Vorwald, former executive producer of WGN Sports.[1]

After the 2020 season, Kasper left the Cubs and Marquee to become the radio voice of the Chicago White Sox on WMVP.[30] Jon Sciambi, then a television and radio play-by-play voice on ESPN's MLB national broadcasts, was hired to replace Kasper.[31] Beth Mowins and longtime Cubs radio broadcaster Pat Hughes served as fill-in announcers when Sciambi was not available due to his national televised conflicts,[32] until 2025, when it was announced that Iowa Cubs broadcaster Alex Cohen would be Sciambi's full-time back-up.[33]

Chris Myers worked as a backup play-by play man for Cubs TV games from 2021 to 2023.

Programming

Besides game broadcasts, Marquee carries documentaries, game replays, and player profiles, as well as coverage of some minor league games.[29][1]

Cubs Programming

Individual programs

  • Cubs Live!, pre-game[1]
  • Cubs Postgame Live![1]

Baseball team rights

Non-Cubs programming

Individual Programs

  • Follow The Money, a weekday morning sports betting show by Vegas Stats & Information Network hosted by Mitch Moss and Pauly Howard[34]
  • Live on The Line, a weekday afternoon betting program
  • The Reporters, a weekly round table discussion amongst Chicago sports news people regarding local and national sporting news

Chicago Bears

Due to NFL rules, these programs only run within the Chicago Bears' broadcast area, with alternate programming airing on the network outside of this area.

  • The Official Bears Postgame Live (after every Bears game)
  • Bear Essentials (weekly on Tuesdays)
  • Bears Den (weekly on Thursdays)

Chicago Stars

  • Exclusive game coverage in 2024, transitioned to a limited package 2025[25]

Collegiate & High School Programming

Former programming

Broadcasting areas

Marquee is broadcast in five states, particularly Illinois (with the exception of Southern Illinois), most of Iowa, eastern Nebraska, all of Indiana except areas near the Ohio River, and Kenosha County, Wisconsin. The broadcasting areas for each state are listed below.

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Michigan

Nebraska

Wisconsin

Carriage

References

External links

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