How great was it to see a Major League Baseball game Thursday on TV?
MLB Network’s broadcast of the Cubs-Dodgers spring-training game warmed my heart amid the bitter cold outside. It didn’t matter that it was SportsNet LA’s broadcasters and not Marquee Sports Network’s crew. It could’ve been a Marlins-Rays game, for all I cared. It was baseball.
And there’s plenty more to come before the regular season begins stateside March 27. Here’s everything you need to know about how the Cubs’ and White Sox’ broadcast partners will cover spring-training games.
Marquee Sports Network/The Score
Marquee begins its sixth season as the Cubs’ TV home at 2 p.m. Friday, when the Dodgers visit Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona. The network will carry 17 of 29 exhibition games, including one prospects game and two games in Tokyo. The Score will carry 10 games.
Jon Sciambi and Jim Deshaies will call the games Friday and Sunday on Marquee. New backup play-by-play voice Alex Cohen, Taylor McGregor, Elise Menaker, Ryan Sweeney and Lance Brozdowski also will appear on broadcasts throughout the spring. Fans can expect to hear from manager Craig Counsell, his coaches and players during the broadcasts.
Marquee will have a crew in Tokyo for the two exhibitions (March 14 and 16) and the two regular-season games against the Dodgers (March 18-19). Nationally, Fox will carry the regular-season opener, and FS1 will air the second game.
On The Score, Matt Spiegel and Ron Coomer have the games Friday and Sunday. Pat Hughes and Zach Zaidman will split the remaining games alongside Coomer.
Chicago Sports Network/ESPN 1000
CHSN begins its first Sox season at 2 p.m. Monday, when the Rangers visit Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. The network is scheduled to air seven spring games, but it’s likely to add more. All games CHSN carries will be available for free to anyone on the network’s website (CHSN.com) and app. The channel remains off Comcast cable.
John Schriffen and Steve Stone will call six games, and newcomer Brooke Fletcher and Connor McKnight will call the prospects game. Fletcher, who hosts CHSN’s “The Chicago Lead,” joins the broadcast team as a reporter. Her father, Scott, played in six seasons for the Sox (1983-85, 1989-91). McKnight’s coverage will focus on analytics and the Sox’ minor-league system.
ESPN 1000 will air 10 spring games, starting with the opener at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Cubs. Six broadcasts will be accompanied by a webcast of the game at whitesox.com. Len Kasper and Darrin Jackson have the call for the first eight radio broadcasts. McKnight will fill in for Kasper on the last two.
Remote patrol
- The Fire open their season at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Columbus on Apple TV’s subscription service MLS Season Pass. Comcast and DirecTV customers can access a free preview of Season Pass from Saturday to March 2. That includes the Fire’s home opener March 1 against D.C. United. Customers also can access the weekly whiparound show “MLS 360” for free all season.
- Fox 32 will be the new local broadcast home for the Stars (formerly Red Stars). The station will air eight games this season and produce pregame and halftime shows. Select games will simulcast on Marquee’s app. Marquee was the club’s local outlet last year. The Stars’ first game on Fox 32 will be the home opener at 2 p.m. March 23 against Houston.
- Bears fans can check out potential draftees when NFL Network airs the scouting combine next week. Coverage begins at 2 p.m. Thursday and Friday and noon Saturday and Sunday. As for Bears positions of need, defensive linemen work out Thursday and offensive linemen Sunday.
- The Blackhawks’ game against the Maple Leafs at 6 p.m. Sunday will air on ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu. It had been scheduled for CHSN. Mike Monaco and Ryan Callahan have the call.