The Chicago Cubs missed out on the playoffs in 2023 and secured a third-place position in the National League Central to end the 2024 season. Team manager Craig Counsell had the team within reach of a playoff run halfway through the season, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough this time. Looking to 2025, maybe the Cubs will chase down another World Series and stave off another 70+ year curse. Keep your fingers crossed.
Even if you don’t have cable, you can catch a lot of Cubs games. Your best bet as a local is one of the two streaming platforms with the Cubs regional sports network (RSN). If you live outside the Chicago area, you’re not entirely blacked out.
What channels are Chicago Cubs games on?
Local Cubs coverage is on the Marquee Sports Network. You can find this on DIRECTV STREAM or Fubo, and Chicago locals can also purchase it as a direct-to-consumer standalone subscription to supplement another platform. Cubs games also air on a variety of national networks, including several games on your Fox affiliate.
| DIRECTV STREAM | Fubo | Hulu + Live TV | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marquee Sports Network | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| ESPN | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Fox | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔* | ✔ |
| Fox Sports 1 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| MLBN | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| TBS | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
How to watch the Chicago Cubs on DIRECTV STREAM
- Suggested Plan: Choice
- Price: $114.99
- Free Trial: Yes, 5-Days
DIRECTV STREAM is the only streaming platform with every channel you need to watch the Cubs. It has the Marquee Sports Network, TBS, ESPN, Fox, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), and MLB Network. Keep in mind that only people in zip codes near Chicago will get the Marquee Sports Network. If you live elsewhere, you’ll get your local RSN instead. The are four DIRECTV STREAM plans to choose from, and you’ll need the Choice plan or above to get RSNs.
Cubs coverage aside, DIRECTV STREAM has an impressive core channel lineup with a variety of sports, entertainment, and news. For additional sports content, you can tune into NFL Network, NHL Network, NFL RedZone, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, and Fox Sports 2 (FS2). All customers get unlimited DVR storage.
Watch the Chicago Cubs on Fubo
- Suggested Plan: Pro
- Price: $79.99
- Free Trial: Yes, 7-Days
Fubo is the only other streaming platform with Marquee Sports Network for those in-market, but it doesn’t have TBS. That being said, it’s still a good place to watch your Cubs. You can watch nationally broadcast games on Fox, FS1, and ESPN. The platform also has MLB Network for out-of-network Chicago Cubs games, though you will need a paid Sports Extra add-on.
Sports fans also get NFL Network, Fox Soccer Plus, Big Ten Network, and Golf Channel with Fubo’s three plans. If you want MLB Network to watch more Cubs action, you can add the Sports Lite add-on to your channel package. This extra also features popular networks like NHL Network and NBA TV. All customers get unlimited cloud DVR storage space.
Watch the Chicago Cubs on Hulu + Live TV
- Suggested Plan: Hulu + Live TV Bundle
- Price: $82.99
- Free Trial: Yes, 3-Days
Hulu + Live TV doesn’t have the Cubs RSN, but it makes up for this omission with some other cool features. For instance, everyone gets ESPN Plus content for free. Plus, the on-demand Hulu library is included in your live TV package. Hulu + Live TV just has a single channel lineup available, but it’s got a great blend of sports, news, and entertainment. Notably, it gives Cubs fans MLB Network, TBS, ESPN, Fox, and FS1.
Other sports channels on Hulu + Live TV include ESPN2, FS2, NFL Network, TNT, Big Ten Network, and SEC Network. The paid Sports Add-on also gives you popular networks like NFL RedZone and FanDuel TV. With Hulu + Live TV, you’ll get unlimited DVR storage and can save old Cubs games for up to nine months.
Watch the Chicago Cubs on Sling TV
- Suggested Plan: Sling Orange & Blue
- Price: $55
- Free Trial: No
Sling TV is super affordable, but its three plans don’t offer an expansive channel lineup. Still, Cubs fans can watch nationally broadcast games on ESPN, TBS, and FS1. In select markets, the Sling Blue lineup includes your local Fox affiliate. You can also get the MLB Network if you pay for a sports extra.
The Sling Blue package carries TBS and FS1, Sling Orange has ESPN and TBS, and Sling Orange & Blue plan combines the channels from the other two plans. The Sports Extra add-on packages have MLB Network, MLB Network Strike Zone, NHL Network, NBA TV, Tennis Channel, NFL RedZone, and Golf Channel. All customers get 50 hours of DVR storage, but you can upgrade to 200 hours for an additional monthly fee.
Watch the Chicago Cubs on YouTube TV
- Suggested Plan: Base Plan
- Price: $72.99
- Free Trial: Yes, 7-Days
You can use YouTube TV to watch the Chicago Cubs on FS1, ESPN, TBS, and Fox. Unfortunately, the platform lost the MLB Network a few seasons ago; it’s not even available with a paid add-on. YouTube TV has just one base plan with an impressive mix of sports, news, and entertainment networks. Your household can stream different content on up to three screens at once if you’re the only baseball fan in the family.
YouTube TV also features NFL Network, FS2, ESPN2, SEC Network, CBS Sports Network, and the Tennis Channel in its lineup. The Sports Plus add-on has NFL RedZone, Fox Soccer Plus, Billiard TV, FanDuel TV, and more. YouTube TV has a 20-minute free trial and unlimited DVR storage. It’s also the home for the NFL Sunday Ticket to watch out-of-market NFL games.
Watch games on Apple TV+
- Suggested Plan: Base
- Price: $9.99
- Free Trial: Yes, 7-Days
Apple TV+ will broadcast exclusive MLB games during “Friday Night Baseball” for the first half of the 2024 season. The Cubs were featured taking on the Mariners in April, and other games will continue to air through June. Apple TV+ offers a seven-day free trial for new subscribers.
The Apple TV+ app is compatible with Amazon Fire TVs, Amazon Fire TV Sticks, Samsung, smart TVs, Roku devices, PlayStations, Xbox gaming consoles, and Chromecast with Google TV.
How to Watch Chicago Cubs Games Out-of-Market with MLB.TV
- Suggested Plan: Single Team
- Price: $104.99/year
- Free Trial: Yes, 7-Days
MLB.TV lets fans watch out-of-market Chicago Cubs games, making it a good option for fans who live outside the greater Chicago area. Local fans can also get a season team pass for the Cubs. You can sign up for MLB TV on the MLB website or add it as an Amazon Prime channel.
FAQ
What streaming service carries the Chicago Cubs?
You can get the Marquee Sports Network on Fubo or DIRECTV STREAM. Other services offer Cubs games that air nationally on channels like the MLB Network and Fox.
How can I watch the Cubs game for free?
If you have a TV antenna, you can watch some Cubs games for free on Fox. You could also sign up for a free trial from livestreaming platforms like Fubo or DIRECTV STREAM to watch games at no cost for a short period of time.
Is Marquee Network on Amazon Prime?
No. The Marquee Sports Network is not available on Amazon Prime Video.
"We often receive complimentary products to review at Sportsnaut. Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team."