– Advertisement –
The dream job. We all have one. Some of us identify it as kids, growing up in awe of our idols. Others discover it by navigating different options during their teenage years and early adulthood. For Cole Wright, the dream job found him. A child of Chicago, he grew up attending Chicago Cubs games with his family. His father sold cars, yet he instilled in him a passion for baseball that Wright chased through his youth and into college.
The goal for Wright was simple. If life on the field didn’t work out, he would find a way to remain close to the game of baseball.
“My idea was to go into media, and see how we could make it work,” said Cole about turning down an opportunity to work his way into the game as an umpire and instead pivoting his education toward sports media.
Without intending the pun, Wright’s journey into media began with a right-time, right-place moment. An avid local news viewer, he connected with Chicago news anchor Art Norman when they met at a local gym. The veteran newsman took Wright under his wing, showed him the ropes, and helped lead him to his first opportunity in media as a sports anchor in Texas at small stations in San Angelo and Tyler.
“I owe a lot of my career to Art [Norman]. He’s a legend to me,” said Wright. “Art was helping me get my tape re-shot. He took a kid who he had no clue who he was. It’s crazy when I think back that these guys tried to help me the way they did. That’s why I try to do things now to pay it back.”
A Dream Job
After a short time in Texas, Wright worked his way up the sports media ladder. ESPN hired him in 2011. Three years later, he joined FOX Sports and the NFL Network as one of their marquee anchors.
Then in late 2019, a call came that would change Wright’s career outlook forever. Marquee Sports Network wanted to welcome a Chicago kid home.
“Everyone always says they have a dream job. I have one of those,” said Wright. “The fact that our Marquee Sports Network studios are a long par four from the media entrance at Wrigley Field. It’s unbelievable that I get to walk across the street after pre-game and go watch the team I grew up watching as a kid.”
“Everybody’s excited about this version of the Cubs … This seems like a quieter, locked in group of players.”
JD is fired up for the 2026 Cubs season 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4dugtRt41S
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) February 20, 2026
Now entering his seventh season as the pregame and postgame face of Chicago Cubs broadcasts on Marquee Sports Network, Wright admits he is still living on cloud nine. He brings an authentic passion for the franchise to Cubs fans around the country.
Wright understands that this dream opportunity required years of preparation at previous stops. Each role provided another tool to add to his growing skill set before Marquee Sports Network presented the opportunity to return home and be part of the Cubs every step of the way.
“I grew up watching this team. This is where I’m from, and I imagined what it could be like to go to games every single day and have this be your main focus. It was the only job that I would leave my time at the NFL Network for,” explained Wright.
Joining Marquee Sports Network
Five seasons at the NFL Network showcased what makes Cole Wright effective. He is a talented anchor who weaves in and out of highlights, drives conversation, and sets up every analyst he shares a set with for maximum impact. He considers his role the facilitator, presenting the facts while creating space for the athlete’s perspective.
Now in his role with Marquee Sports Network, Wright reinforces that approach while expanding his responsibilities with educational opportunities that bring fans closer to the game.
“This spring, we’re able to do a lot of demos. We’re fortunate enough to get time with Ian Happ and showcase how he plays outfield at Wrigley Field. Also, Pete Crow-Armstrong showed me how to lead off in a baserunning drill,” noted Wright. “It’s a collaborative effort between producers, myself and the organization.”
Marquee Sports Network is owned by the organization in partnership with Sinclair Broadcasting. That structure provides added access to players for demos and special features. The business side of a team owning its own network also carries benefits. With nearly half of Major League Baseball teams now joining MLB for “wall-to-wall” production and distribution of their local media rights, many fans are scrambling to find ways to watch their hometown team with just over a month until the season begins.
Wright has never worked for a regional sports network outside of Marquee, but he understands the difficulties some in his profession are experiencing.
“I just know what I hear and see from the outside. It’s unfortunate because there’s a lot of great people who are in a nomadic stage roaming around and seeing what’s next. There have been so many jobs that have been curtailed. That’s extremely unfortunate,” said Wright. “All I can do is come in, take those hats, and play to the best of my ability. That’s how I try to approach everything.”
Owning The Responsibility
Wright’s presentation is rooted in what makes sports special: fun. While most pregame and postgame programming leans heavily on data and information, Wright aims to entertain. He prioritizes storytelling through highlights and embraces interaction between host and analyst.
“Every Cubs game starts and ends with me. It’s my job to get this plane off the runway,” says Wright. “I’m doing the 10th inning on WGN that I watched as a kid, and that’s important to me. It’s important that I know what’s going on and keeping the people informed yet entertained. I like to be on the same level as the fans, because that’s truly what I am. A fan.”
Like a five-tool player, Wright stays ready for anything. While pregame and postgame duties anchor his work with Cubs baseball, he waits in the bullpen if play-by-play or analyst work is needed in a pinch. He believes his evolution as a sports broadcaster is rooted in a simple idea. If you can work with everybody, you can work with anybody.
Now entering his seventh season with the hope of covering a Cubs World Series this fall, Wright is already laying the foundation for the year ahead. As Opening Day nears, he pours effort into sharing his passion for Cubs baseball, hoping it resonates with his daughter.
With aspirations in sports of her own, Wright views his journey as a roadmap of lessons to pass along.
“I want her to know that for the things that you want, you have to work for them. It’s not once you get there, you’re good. You have to continue to work at it, every day” said Wright. “If you don’t work, someone else will… My dad did that for me. That’s the same type of example I try to set for my daughter as well.”
For Cole Wright, the dream didn’t just come true — it came home.
From walking into Wrigley Field as a wide-eyed kid with his family to now crossing the street as the face who sends Cubs fans into and out of every game, the journey feels almost cinematic. Nothing about it is accidental. It was built on mentorship, long nights in small markets, national stages at ESPN and the NFL Network, and a willingness to keep adding tools to the toolbox.
Wright may open and close every Cubs broadcast, but the real through line in his story is bigger than television. It is about honoring the people who helped you, staying ready for the next opportunity, and never losing the joy that made you fall in love with the game in the first place.
He’s still that fan. Only now, he assists generations of Cubs fans — including his own daughter — believe that dream jobs aren’t just dreams in the stands.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.