Q. I live in Henderson, Nevada (next to Las Vegas) and have purchased the MLB package (from DIRECTV) for years. I moved here from Chicago and brought the Cubs with me via DirecTV. I know that the Cubs will now only broadcast on the Marquee Sports Network, and your article indicated an arrangement had been reached with DirecTV to continue broadcasting the games. I contacted DirecTV regarding the continuing coverage of the Cub games, but was told that I would need to purchase the MLB (Extra Innings) package (and) the Marquee Sports Network package to allow me to view all the Cubs games. Can you clarify this for me? — Richard, Henderson, Nevada.
Richard, the new Marquee Sports Network, which will be the exclusive home to Chicago Cubs game broadcasts, launches on February 22, 2020 with the Cubs playing the Oakland Athletics in a spring training contest.
The channel replaces the previous providers of the Cubs games, which includes NBC Sports Chicago and WGN. Marquee, which is owned by the Cubs and the Sinclair Broadcast Group, will feature 150 live Cubs games as well as pre-game and post-game shows, and other Cubs-related programming.
Marquee will be a regional sports network, meaning the Cubs broadcasts will only be available on pay TV services in the team’s market which includes Illinois, Iowa and Indiana.
Except…
If you live outside the Cubs market, you can watch the team’s games via the MLB.TV streaming package, or the Extra Innings package found on DIRECTV, Comcast, Verizon and other pay TV services.
I don’t know why DIRECTV would tell you that you needed an additional sports package that included Marquee to watch the Cubs on Extra Innings. (DIRECTV offers an add-on $13.99 a month ‘Sports Pack’ that includes programming, but not the Cubs on Marquee, from regional sports channels.)
I will be charitable this morning and suggest the customer service rep simply goofed rather than engaged in a foolish exercise to get you to pay more money. (It’s also possible that you misinterpreted what the rep said, or the rep phrased the answer poorly. I don’t know.)
But the Cubs on Marquee should not be blacked out on Extra Innings or MLB.TV if you live in Henderson, Nevada (or other markets outside of the Cubs market.) If you don’t believe me, check out this blackout guide at MLB.TV. If you type in a zip code from Henderson, Nevada, you’ll see that the teams blacked out in your area are the following:
Arizona Diamondbacks
Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Dodgers
Oakland Athletics
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants
The Cubs obviously are not on the list.
(Note: Cubs games with the Dodgers, Padres, Giants and Diamondbacks will be blacked out in the Nevada area because those four teams are on the list.
It’s possible the Cubs-Diamondbacks and Cubs-Padres games will be available via the $13.99 Sports Pack. But it depends on your zip code.)
I have previously written here that DIRECTV’s customer service has declined since AT&T purchased the company in 2015. I have even said I am not sure you can trust what they say.
So my advice to you is to subscribe to MLB.TV instead of DIRECTV’s Extra Innings plan. MLB.TV is guaranteeing you that you will be able to watch the Cubs in your area while DIRECTV apparently won’t (unless you needlessly pay another $13.99 a month).
Richard, hope that helps. Happy viewing!
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The reason he needs the extra package is because of the incredibly dumb MLB blackout rules.
Why are 6 teams allowed to claim Nevada as home territory?
He will miss all Cubs games against those 6 teams home and away throughout the season if he only has mlb extra innings.
By purchasing the extra sports package he can then pick up any of those 6 teams games against the Cubs if DirecTV has that RSN (so not the Dodgers).
The other advantage paying for the extra sports package is you can view all the pre-game and post-game shows on Marquee
So if he only goes with mlb.com extra innings he’ll miss out on probably 30 plus games.
And that is 100 pct MLB’s greedy fault and not DirecTV- so in a way the rep is correct, you need both if you’re a cubs fan and live in Nevada.
Att rep told me, two days ago tgat there is ABSOLUTELY no package that I can get with Direct TV, in order to get the Marquee network.I called back yesterday and today and was told the same thing.Three reps, same answer.
I live in indiana can’t get cubs 46970 already did everything I can need help
The reader was apparently told he needed the plan for all Cubs games. Plus, there are only 3 eligible NL teams on the list and I don’t believe the RSNs cover them in Nevada. Despite the blackouts, the Vegas area is considered a Dodgers market and, as noted, Directv doesn’t offer that channel.
Last point: Cubs don’t play the A’s or Angels this year.
The lack of useful info regarding seeing Chicago Cubs games on DirecTv version of MLB Extra Innings has me at the edge! I cannot get a straight answer from DTV as to whether or not I will get the games or not. No one there seems to have the same answer. Yet, an internet search on this matter shows that DTV and Marquee have an agreement now. Is the best option to just wait until closer to the regular season to see how it shakes out? That’s almost a month away. But how can MLB Extra Innings and DirecTv advertise the package and not cover any of the games? Maddening! This is for my zip code of 92270 in Southern California.
You would get Cubs games on Extra Innings except when they play the Dodgers or Angels.