Comcast’s CSN Chicago said it will be live streaming baseball games featuring the World Champion Cubs and the White Sox this season.
The games will be available to authenticated pay-TV subscribers via CSNChicago.com and the NBC Sports app.
CSN Chicago will also be streaming its pre-game and post-games shows.
Baseball games were not available previously online because of tangled rights issues and legacy issues involving defining each team’s home markets. Last year, Fox’s regional sports networks made deals to stream games. Now the floodgates seem to be fully open.
“We are thrilled to launch live streaming of our Chicago White Sox and Cubs telecasts beginning this MLB season,” said Phil Bedella, VP/GM of CSN Chicago. “With live streaming currently offered for our Bulls and Blackhawks telecasts, the addition of MLB streaming further illustrates our commitment to provide our viewers with the most in-depth and compelling Cubs and White Sox content in and out of the home and on any device.”
CSN Chicago is a partnership of the NBC Sports Group with the Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks and Bulls.
“We are very pleased that our partners at CSN will be able to provide fans with the opportunity to watch the White Sox anywhere,” added White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. “Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for fans to watch their White Sox, regardless of where they are or what they are doing. Sports fans deserve to see all the action all season long.”
Last season’s championship run, which ended 108 years without a title for the Cubs, gave CSN Chicago a huge ratings boost.
“After such a historic season, we are thrilled Cubs fans will be able to stream games on their choice of device, either inside or outside the home,” said Crane Kenney, Cubs president of business operations. “This access has been years in the making for our fans, but the timing is awfully good given the excitement around the 2017 campaign.”
