Outside of traditional game coverage, Marquee will initially offer programming like classic Cubs gamesGETTY IMAGES
Cubs President of Business Operations Crane Kenney said the launch of Marquee Sports Network is "right on schedule" for February, despite rumblings about how much work the team and Sinclair Broadcast Group have yet to do ahead of the new RSN's debut, according to Patrick Mooney of THE ATHLETIC. Once operational, Marquee hires "will be Sinclair employees, not Cubs employees, an important distinction as the network begins to ramp up its recruiting efforts." Marquee is "getting close to finalizing agreements with executives who will run the sales and marketing departments." While the net will "put its stamp on the game broadcasts," the Cubs are "not looking to make major changes to the Wrigley Field broadcast booth, where play-by-play man Len Kasper and analyst Jim Deshaies are now in their seventh season together." Kenney said Cubs Productions "will act as a creative engine for the network in a shared-service way." Cubs Productions will also "continue supporting the team’s Wrigley Field programming, a YouTube channel with more than 100,000 subscribers and certain video projects" for the baseball operations department. The Cubs and Sinclair have "already identified studio space in the team’s old temporary office building on Clark St." The Cubs "aren’t planning to design a 24/7 network with original content by next spring." Instead, the "core elements during the season figure to be pre- and post-game coverage, game broadcasts, an occasional clubhouse magazine-style show and replaying, again and again, classic games from the Cubs’ library" (THEATHLETIC.com, 5/20).
FOLLOW THE LEADER: In Chicago, Phil Rosenthal noted Marquee yesterday named Michael McCarthy GM. McCarthy has "been a consultant for the Cubs" since August '18 on the "launch strategy of the channel." Previously, McCarthy was President of MSG Network, Vice Chair & CEO of the Blues and COO of the Bucks (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 5/21).
