SCOTTSDALE, Arizona -- Many of you were concerned that with WGN America dropping Cubs coverage, you'd be shut out of watching the approximately 70 games that are being carried on over-the-air broadcast channels WGN-Ch. 9 and WLS-Ch. 7 in Chicago for the next five years.
Over the last few weeks a few deals have been announced in various midwest markets, and I promised when I had a complete list I'd post it. Here is the complete list of games being carried in various markets in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin -- the blackout areas where you can't get these games via MLB.tv or Extra Innings.
Outside the blackout areas you should be able to get all Cubs games via MLB.tv or Extra Innings. I grant that this is more costly than having WGN America on a basic cable tier. But that's the way the TV business has been trending; we were all lucky to have all those games on WGN America for more than 35 years.
Here's the complete list of markets carrying the WGN-Ch. 9 and WLS-Ch. 7 games:
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Yes, it's an image. That was the easiest way to post it here. 10 markets outside Chicago are carrying the WGN games and seven the WLS games. If you are in the blackout areas and your market is not listed, please post in the comments.
The Cubs also sent out a very long list of cable/satellite affiliates who carry CSN Chicago, way too long to post here. CSN Chicago is available via DirecTV and Dish Network in all four states affected (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin) and via various cable operators in the following markets: Cedar Rapids – Waterloo – Iowa City & Dubuque, Champaign – Springfield – Decatur, Davenport – Rock Island – Moline, Davenport – Rock Island – Moline, Fort Wayne; Indianapolis, Lafayette, Milwaukee (Kenosha), Ottumwa – Kirksville, Peoria – Bloomington; Quincy – Hannibal – Keokuk, Rochester – Mason City – Austin, Rockford, South Bend – Elkhart and Terre Haute.
Lastly, the Cubs released this list of 2015 radio network affiliates:
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Apologies for the somewhat-small text but it was the only way to get that entire list in one place.
Hope this assuages the fears of some of you who thought you'd be blacked out of Cubs games this year. It looks like the Cubs have done a pretty good job of covering those of you in the blackout areas. Hopefully, MLB will work with the Cubs to provide access to games for anyone whose market isn't listed here.