NEWSLETTER
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.
[adinserter block=”1″]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
[adinserter block=”2″]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
