CHICAGO—Michael McCarthy is taking on a leadership role for the new Marquee Sports Network, which, in partnership with Sinclair Broadcast Group, will be the exclusive television home for the Chicago Cubs when it launches in February 2020.

McCarthy has been working with the Cubs since August 2018 as a consultant on the evaluation and formation of Marquee Sports Network’s launch strategy. He has previous experience with sports networks, serving as the president of MSG Network, handling revenue and content across all platforms. He has also previously been the CEO and vice chairman of the St. Louis Blues and COO of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Marquee Sports Network will feature live game broadcasts from Chicago Cubs broadcasters, Len Kasper and Jim Deshaies. The network will also provide pre- and post-game coverage, unique Cubs content and other local sports programming.

BALTIMORE & CHICAGO—Sinclair Broadcast Group and the Chicago Cubs today announced they have formed Marquee Sports Network, a joint venture that owns and operates the regional sports network.

Based in Chicago, Marquee Sports Network will be the exclusive network for fans to watch live Chicago Cubs games beginning with the 2020 Major League Baseball season.

Exclusive Cubs content and other local sports programming will also be available from the regional sports network. The Cubs simultaneously entered into a long- term rights agreement with Marquee.

“It is hard to imagine any content that is more unique and valuable than the live sports entertainment the Cubs have been delivering to their fans for more than a century,” said Chris Ripley, Sinclair president and CEO. “Sinclair’s strength in production, distribution and local sales will support bringing more content to more viewers, all while leveraging the latest technology.”

The new agreement will allow the Cubs to give fans an enhanced experience, said Crane Kenney, president of business operations for the Cubs.

“Our dedicated ‘Cubs-centric’ network will carry all available Cubs games and feature uncompromising, in-depth and behind-the-scenes coverage,” he said.

Dear Cubs,
You have all gone home and are hopefully enjoying the bacon and cigarettes for breakfast you so richly deserve. Same to you guys in Cleveland. Have your favorite, whatever it is. America will pick up the tab. We owe you one.

You don’t know me. I’m not a regular sports fan. I don’t own a jersey with a number on it. I was even on local TV once years ago because I was in the library on home game day, studying. That is how I got where I am today.

On deadline.

So I thought I’d write and thank you. It may have taken you 108 years, but your timing was perfect—and not a moment too soon. Distracting us with sportsmanship, civility and history. I think more than a few of us were beginning to think those things had passed into an alternate reality, but there, in a stunning display of emotional maturity, Trevor Bauer applauds Jason Heyward’s flying-leap catch that gets him out.

And you guys, playing human-being ball, with goofy errors and magnificent moves, stretching it out to 10 innings in a seventh game. You made Bill Murray cry tears of joy. Bill Murray, to whom Hollywood has paid a great deal of money to affect an emotion, none of which involved magical unicorn tears of euphoria.

I read that 40 million people watched. I did.

It was a delight not to be yelled at for a change.

Sometimes our media seems to bring out the worst in us, or we in it, I’ve never quite put my finger on it but I am certainly open to study grants. There are an awful lot of things on TV these days that make me despair of my kind, but Game 7 was like breathing fresh air after being stuck in a funky tunnel for too long.

Please come back again real soon.

Your friend,
Deborah