The next MLB team that’s set to get its own direct-to-consumer streaming service is the Chicago Cubs, and the new subscription option could become available to in-market Cubs fans as early as next month.
The last few months have seen a number of major changes to live, local sports, and mostly due to the ongoing issues facing Diamond Sports Group and its Bally Sports networks. Last month, for example, a dedicated Padres subscription service became available after the MLB team broke away from San Diego Bally Sports.
Now, it is the turn of the Cubs, after confirmation of a standalone streaming service is due to launch this year.
According to President of Business Operations at the Cubs, Crane Kenney, who was speaking on 670 The Score’s Inside the Clubhouse on Saturday morning, the current goal is for the streaming service to launch at some point in July.
While Cubs games are available to watch with a live TV package that includes access to the Marquee Sports Network, Kenny noted that “people are finding their programming in all sorts of ways” and that the launch of a Cubs streaming service will help the club “reach our fans that have cut the cord.”
In spite of the more recent developments pointing to this as a reaction to what’s been happening in the past weeks and months, Kenney was noted explaining how the Marquee Sports Network has been working on a direct-to-consumer subscription option for the best part of the last year.
According to Kenney, “We’re taking our time to make sure this thing is exactly right in terms of both the quality of the program, the type of program, pricing, marketing, ease of access so that it’s available on all devices, whether it’s Roku, a handheld, etc.”
Other than the expected time-frame and why the new service is launching in the first place, Kenney didn’t provide any additional information on what Cubs fans can expect, including how much a subscription will cost them each month.
