The Cubs and Sinclair Broadcast Group's Marquee Sports Network are "already pitching cable and satellite providers" to insert the new RSN into their channel lineups, which could "automatically add $4 to the nearly $9 monthly regional sports fee paid by Chicago-area subscribers," according to sources cited by Robert Channick of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. The Cubs' network will "include 150 regular and about 30 spring training games, expanded pregame and postgame coverage, classic broadcasts from the archives and other programming." Sources said that the Cubs believe Marquee "should cost subscribers more next season than NBC Sports Chicago." Channick wrote the argument is that since "ending a centurylong drought" with their '16 World Series win, the Cubs have been "getting better TV ratings" than the Bulls, Blackhawks and WhiteSox combined. In addition, the Cubs are "hoping to get more pay TV providers from Iowa to Indiana" to "carry the new network." While NBC Sports Chicago will "defend its pay TV turf with the remaining three teams and nearly twice as many games as Marquee, analysts expect the network’s carriage fees to decline next year without the Cubs." A source said that Marquee is "expected to net the Cubs" about $90M in annual broadcast rights fees as part of a multiyear deal, a "significant boost" from the $60M the team currently earns from NBC Sports Chicago. If all "goes as planned, Marquee will be packaged in most cable bundles" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 5/26).
