If you live outside the Cubs’ TV territory, you very likely follow the team on TV via the MLB.tv package.
Tuesday, the price of the 2017 online TV package was announced:
https://t.co/LmTwr8TzqC streaming package now for sale for '17 season. Top fee up $3 to $112.99, in line w terms of Garber settlement
— Eric Fisher (@EricFisherSBJ) February 7, 2017
The “Garber settlement” was an agreement reached a year ago after a class-action lawsuit. The settlement stated:
For the next five years, the price for the single-team and MLB.TV packages can rise each year by only the greater of (a) 3%, or (b) the annual national cost-of-living adjustment. That means the most the package will cost in 2020 is $95.99 for the single-team, and $123.99 overall. (This part in particular is how you can tell that it was lawyers who worked out this settlement.)
So, three percent it is. The $10 “Follow Your Team” offer is being made again this year. Here’s how that works:
For instance, if you reside in St. Louis and subscribe to a single-team package involving the Pittsburgh Pirates, you may now stream Pirates games in St. Louis without the telecast subject to local blackout.
Substitute “Cubs” for “Pirates” in that paragraph and you’ll see how it would work for you, the Cubs fan living in St. Louis (or anywhere outside the Cubs’ TV territory).
Remember also that this year, CSN Chicago (and the other Comcast RSNs) reached a deal with MLB to allow in-market streaming. The effect of this will be that if you’re away from your TV and you have a cable/satellite subscription that includes CSN Chicago, you can watch those games on your laptop/tablet/phone. Note that this does not include the games scheduled for WGN. The Cubs’ overall regular-season TV schedule isn’t yet available.
You can find all the details about 2017 MLB.tv here.