Chicago Cubs Announce 2016 Television Broadcast Schedule

The Chicago Cubs today announced their television broadcast schedule for the 2016 season, which you can see below. Up to 86 games will be on Comcast SportsNet Chicago, 45 games will be on WGN-9 (a few of which are produced by WGN, but carried on WPWR), and 25 will be on ABC-7. The balance will be national broadcasts, exclusively.

It’s very important to remember that, just like last year, ABC-7 and WGN-9 are local Chicago channels. The Cubs’ TV situation is uniquely complicated right now, and that has necessitated three separate TV contracts. A long-term, comprehensive deal is on the horizon, but, for now, this is the setup.

What it means for folks outside of Chicago is that you may have to have something like MLB.tv to get the games … unless you’re in the blackout region. That, too, is being worked on right now long-term, but is going to be an issue for a little while yet.

In the interim, if you’re outside of Chicago (and don’t get ABC-7 or WGN-9), one of your local channels may make a deal with those stations to carry the games as affiliates. Last year, a number of cities in the blackout region covered Cubs games locally, and you can see which cities had which games on which channels last year here for reference. Those affiliate deals for this season will probably not trickle out until much closer to the start of the season. The full rundown of affiliates didn’t come out last year until April 2.

Ok. Now the schedule (all times CT):

Mon 4/4 @ LA Angels 9:05 PM ABC7

Tue 4/5 @ LA Angels 9:05 PM CSN+

Wed 4/6 OFF DAY

Thur 4/7 @ Arizona 8:40 PM CSN+

Fri 4/8 @ Arizona 8:40 PM WGN

Sat 4/9 @ Arizona 7:10 PM CSN

Sun 4/10 @ Arizona 3:10 PM WGN

Mon 4/11 vs. Cincinnati 7:05 PM WGN

Tue 4/12 OFF DAY

Wed 4/13 vs. Cincinnati 7:05 PM CSN+

Thur 4/14 vs. Cincinnati 7:05 PM CSN

Fri 4/15 vs. Colorado 1:20 PM CSN

Sat 4/16 vs. Colorado 1:20 PM CSN

Sun 4/17 vs. Colorado 1:20 PM WGN

Mon 4/18 @ St. Louis 7:15 PM WPWR

Tue 4/19 @ St. Louis 7:15 PM CSN

Wed 4/20 @ St. Louis 12:45 PM CSN

Thur 4/21 @ Cincinnati 6:10 PM CSN

Fri 4/22 @ Cincinnati 6:10 PM WGN

Sat 4/23 @ Cincinnati 6:10 PM CSN

Sun 4/24 @ Cincinnati 12:10 PM WGN

Mon 4/25 OFF DAY

Tue 4/26 vs. Milwaukee 7:05 PM CSN

Wed 4/27 vs. Milwaukee 7:05 PM WGN

Thur 4/28 vs. Milwaukee 1:20 PM CSN

Fri 4/29 vs. Atlanta 1:20 PM CSN

Sat 4/30 vs. Atlanta 1:20 PM ABC7

Sun 5/1 vs. Atlanta 1:20 PM WGN

Mon 5/2 @ Pittsburgh 6:05 PM CSN

Tue 5/3 @ Pittsburgh 6:05 PM WGN

Wed 5/4 @ Pittsburgh 11:35 AM CSN

Thur 5/5 vs. Washington 7:05 PM CSN+

Fri 5/6 vs. Washington 1:20 PM CSN

Sat 5/7 vs. Washington 3:05 PM CSN

Sun 5/8 vs. Washington 1:20 PM WGN

Mon 5/9 vs. San Diego 7:05 PM CSN

Tue 5/10 vs. San Diego 7:05 PM WPWR

Wed 5/11 vs. San Diego 7:05 PM CSN

Thur 5/12 OFF DAY

Fri 5/13 vs. Pittsburgh 1:20 PM WGN

Sat 5/14 vs. Pittsburgh 1:20 PM ABC7

Sun 5/15 vs. Pittsburgh 1:20 PM CSN

Mon 5/16 OFF DAY

Tue 5/17 @ Milwaukee 7:10 PM CSN

Wed 5/18 @ Milwaukee 7:10 PM WGN

Thur 5/19 @ Milwaukee 12:40 PM CSN

Fri 5/20 @ SF Giants 9:15 PM WGN

Sat 5/21 @ SF Giants 6:15 PM FOX

Sun 5/22 @ SF Giants 7:05 PM ESPN

Mon 5/23 @ St. Louis 7:15 PM CSN

Tue 5/24 @ St. Louis 7:15 PM CSN

Wed 5/25 @ St. Louis 12:45 PM ABC7

Thur 5/26 OFF DAY

Fri 5/27 vs. Philadelphia 1:20 PM CSN

Sat 5/28 vs. Philadelphia 1:20 PM ABC7

Sun 5/29 vs. Philadelphia 1:20 PM WGN

Mon 5/30 vs. LA Dodgers 1:20 PM WGN

Tue 5/31 vs. LA Dodgers 7:05 PM ABC7

Wed 6/1 vs. LA Dodgers 7:05 PM CSN

Thur 6/2 vs. LA Dodgers 1:20 PM CSN

Fri 6/3 vs. Arizona 1:20 PM CSN

Sat 6/4 vs. Arizona 1:20 PM WGN

Sun 6/5 vs. Arizona TBD CSN or ESPN

Mon 6/6 @ Philadelphia 6:05 PM CSN

Tue 6/7 @ Philadelphia 6:05 PM WGN

Wed 6/8 @ Philadelphia 12:05 PM CSN

Thur 6/9 OFF DAY

Fri 6/10 @ Atlanta 6:35 PM CSN

Sat 6/11 @ Atlanta 3:10 PM CSN

Sun 6/12 @ Atlanta 12:35 PM WGN

Mon 6/13 @ Washington 6:05 PM CSN

Tue 6/14 @ Washington 6:05 PM ABC7

Wed 6/15 @ Washington 3:05 PM WGN

Thur 6/16 OFF DAY

Fri 6/17 vs. Pittsburgh 1:20 PM ABC7

Sat 6/18 vs. Pittsburgh 7:15 PM FOX

Sun 6/19 vs. Pittsburgh TBD CSN or ESPN

Mon 6/20 vs. St. Louis 7:05 PM CSN

Tue 6/21 vs. St. Louis 7:05 PM ABC7

Wed 6/22 vs. St. Louis 1:20 PM ABC7

Thur 6/23 @ Miami 6:10 PM CSN

Fri 6/24 @ Miami 6:10 PM CSN

Sat 6/25 @ Miami 3:10 PM WGN

Sun 6/26 @ Miami 12:10 PM ABC7

Mon 6/27 @ Cincinnati 6:10 PM WGN

Tue 6/28 @ Cincinnati 6:10 PM CSN

Wed 6/29 @ Cincinnati 11:35 AM WGN

Thur 6/30 @ NY Mets 6:10 PM CSN

Fri 7/1 @ NY Mets 6:10 PM WGN

Sat 7/2 @ NY Mets 6:15 PM FOX

Sun 7/3 @ NY Mets 12:10 PM CSN

Mon 7/4 vs. Cincinnati 1:20 PM WGN

Tue 7/5 vs. Cincinnati 1:20 PM CSN

Wed 7/6 vs. Cincinnati 1:20 PM CSN

Thur 7/7 OFF DAY

Fri 7/8 @ Pittsburgh 6:05 PM CSN

Sat 7/9 @ Pittsburgh 6:15 PM FOX

Sun 7/10 @ Pittsburgh 12:35 PM WGN

7/11-14 ALL-STAR BREAK (San Diego)

Fri 7/15 vs. Texas 1:20 PM CSN

Sat 7/16 vs. Texas 1:20 PM ABC7

Sun 7/17 vs. Texas 1:20 PM ABC7

Mon 7/18 vs. NY Mets 7:05 PM WPWR

Tue 7/19 vs. NY Mets 7:05 PM CSN

Wed 7/20 vs. NY Mets 1:20 PM ABC7

Thur 7/21 OFF DAY

Fri 7/22 @ Milwaukee 7:10 PM CSN+

Sat 7/23 @ Milwaukee 6:10 PM WGN

Sun 7/24 @ Milwaukee 1:10 PM ABC7

Mon 7/25 @ White Sox 7:10 PM ABC7

Tue 7/26 @ White Sox 7:10 PM CSN

Wed 7/27 vs. White Sox 7:05 PM WGN

Thur 7/28 vs. White Sox 7:05 PM CSN

Fri 7/29 vs. Seattle 1:20 PM CSN

Sat 7/30 vs. Seattle 1:20 PM CSN

Sun 7/31 vs. Seattle 1:20 PM WGN

Mon 8/1 vs. Miami 7:05 PM WGN

Tue 8/2 vs. Miami 7:05 PM CSN+

Wed 8/3 vs. Miami 1:20 PM CSN

Thur 8/4 OFF DAY

Fri 8/5 @ Oakland 9:05 PM CSN+

Sat 8/6 @ Oakland 3:05 PM CSN

Sun 8/7 @ Oakland 3:05 PM WGN

Mon 8/8 OFF DAY

Tue 8/9 vs. LA Angels 7:05 PM WGN

Wed 8/10 vs. LA Angels 7:05 PM CSN+

Thur 8/11 vs. St. Louis 7:05 PM CSN

Fri 8/12 vs. St. Louis 1:20 PM ABC7

Sat 8/13 vs. St. Louis 1:20 PM ABC7

Sun 8/14 vs. St. Louis TBD CSN or ESPN

Mon 8/15 OFF DAY

Tue 8/16 vs. Milwaukee 7:05 PM WPWR

Wed 8/17 vs. Milwaukee 7:05 PM CSN

Thur 8/18 vs. Milwaukee 1:20 PM CSN

Fri 8/19 @ Colorado 7:40 PM CSN

Sat 8/20 @ Colorado 7:10 PM CSN

Sun 8/21 @ Colorado 3:10 PM ABC7

Mon 8/22 @ San Diego 9:10 PM CSN

Tue 8/23 @ San Diego 9:10 PM CSN

Wed 8/24 @ San Diego 2:40 PM WGN

Thur 8/25 OFF DAY

Fri 8/26 @ LA Dodgers 9:10 PM ABC7

Sat 8/27 @ LA Dodgers 3:05 PM WGN

Sun 8/28 @ LA Dodgers 3:10 PM CSN

Mon 8/29 vs. Pittsburgh 7:05 PM CSN

Tue 8/30 vs. Pittsburgh 7:05 PM WGN

Wed 8/31 vs. Pittsburgh 7:05 PM CSN

Thur 9/1 vs. SF Giants 7:05 PM CSN+

Fri 9/2 vs. SF Giants 1:20 PM WGN

Sat 9/3 vs. SF Giants 1:20 PM CSN

Sun 9/4 vs. SF Giants 1:20 PM ABC7

Mon 9/5 @ Milwaukee 12:10 PM WGN

Tue 9/6 @ Milwaukee 7:10 PM CSN+

Wed 9/7 @ Milwaukee 7:10 PM CSN

Thur 9/8 OFF DAY

Fri 9/9 @ Houston 7:10 PM WPWR

Sat 9/10 @ Houston 12:05 PM FOX

Sun 9/11 @ Houston 1:10 PM CSN

Mon 9/12 @ St. Louis 7:15 PM CSN

Tue 9/13 @ St. Louis 7:15 PM ABC7

Wed 9/14 @ St. Louis 12:45 PM ABC7

Thur 9/15 vs. Milwaukee 7:05 PM CSN

Fri 9/16 vs. Milwaukee 1:20 PM CSN

Sat 9/17 vs. Milwaukee 3:05 PM WGN

Sun 9/18 vs. Milwaukee 1:20 PM ABC7

Mon 9/19 vs. Cincinnati 7:05 PM CSN

Tue 9/20 vs. Cincinnati 7:05 PM CSN

Wed 9/21 vs. Cincinnati 7:05 PM WGN

Thur 9/22 OFF DAY

Fri 9/23 vs. St. Louis 1:20 PM ABC7

Sat 9/24 vs. St. Louis TBD CSN or FOX

Sun 9/25 vs. St. Louis TBD CSN or ESPN

Mon 9/26 @ Pittsburgh 6:05 PM CSN

Tues 9/27 @ Pittsburgh 6:05 PM CSN

Wed 9/28 @ Pittsburgh 6:05 PM CSN

Thur 9/29 @ Pittsburgh 6:05 PM WGN

Fri 9/30 @ Cincinnati 6:10 PM CSN

Sat 10/1 @ Cincinnati 3:10 PM CSN

Sun 10/2 @ Cincinnati 2:10 PM WGN