Chicago Cubs fans will have more direct-to-consumer streaming options to watch games this year.
Marquee Sports Network announced an agreement Wednesday to expand its DTC footprint through two notable streaming services.
Starting Wednesday, Marquee is available for Hulu + Live TV subscribers. Additionally, Marquee can be streamed live directly through Amazon’s Prime Video app via a monthly subscription ($19.99) that will include Cubs games, pregame and postgame coverage and all other Marquee programming.
Both DTC options are for in-market Cubs fans. Out-of-market fans can continue watching Cubs games through an MLB TV subscription.
Marquee had been working with Hulu since late summer to get the multiyear agreement in place.
“Hulu expands the reach of Cub games in our market,” president of business operations Crane Kenney told the Tribune on Wednesday. “They are one of the two dominant virtual cable companies providing programming in the Chicago territory. So for us to be included in the Hulu programming spectrum is real valuable to both the team and our fans.”
In January, Kenney told the Tribune the Cubs have more than 100,000 direct subscribers to Marquee since launching their DTC streaming option three years ago. That figure is expected to increase this year.
While the impact of the evolving and diminishing cable TV revenue still is being felt, these two additional streaming options at least should help close that gap. Still, the environment has created some tough decisions even for a team’s own network.
Within the last six months, those difficult decisions saw Marquee essentially shutter its digital online product after laying off multiple employees, shift to predominantly emphasizing its Cubs game production and air fewer spring training games this year.
Marquee ultimately selected 11 Cactus League games to broadcast. The Cubs and Marquee will evaluate annually how many spring games to put on air.
“We hear them and we understand why they’re upset,” Kenney said Wednesday about fans wanting more Cactus League broadcasts. “It’s a difficult decision that we made.”