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Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
Sport
Robert Channick

Marquee Sports Network ratings have dropped 56% since its launch. Here’s how the Chicago Cubs’ cable TV home is faring in Year 3

Marquee Cubs Chicago Cubs Marquee Sports Network SP Chicago Sinclair NBC Sports Chicago Bally Sports Crane Kenney

CHICAGO — When the Chicago Cubs launched the Marquee Sports Network in February 2020, it was the culmination of a decade-long quest to create a dedicated 24/7 cable TV platform for the team, which was still soaring in the wake of its first World Series championship in more than a century.

After three seasons of COVID-19, cord-cutting and declining ratings, things haven’t gone exactly as planned for the fledgling regional sports network.

Right off the bat, the inaugural opening day was postponed for two months after the pandemic hit. Marquee cobbled together a cable distribution network in time to carry the made-for-TV games, where cardboard fans and fake crowd noise provided the backdrop for the shortened 2020 season.

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