How to Watch the Chicago Cubs Game Online Without Cable

MLB Opening Day 2023 is just days away on March 30, and all 30 teams are playing! The Cubs will be playing the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field at 2:20 pm — watch it on Marquee Sports Network on FuboTV (if you live in the greater Chicago vicinity) or MLB.TV (if you don’t).

It can be complicated for Chicago Cubs fans to watch all the regular season games on TV. But we explain everything below.

In a hurry? Cubs fans outside the area can watch most games with MLB.TV. Local fans need to gain access to Marquee Sports Network. It is only available to stream from two sources:

The Chicago Cubs are the second oldest MLB team in the United States with a solid fan base. If you’re a Cubs fan and want to keep up with the action by streaming online this page offers some services to consider. Read on to find out about ways to watch the Chicago Cubs game online without cable.

Most Chicago Cubs games air on cable channels throughout the season, though if you want to watch the Chicago Cubs online, you’ll need streaming services. This page covers services like Sling TV (save $10 on Sling TV) or FuboTV (free for 7 days), along with a few alternatives.

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All About the Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are the oldest major league franchise to still be playing in the city where it originated. And its history began on a high note as the 1876 Chicago White Stockings won the first National League pennant with a 52-14 mark.

The team did well its first 70 years of play. It won 16 pennants. However, only two of those resulted in World Series titles — 1907 and 1908.

Of course, as nearly every baseball fan knows, a pennant drought that had been going on since 1945 and that World Series title drought since 1908 both came to an end with an amazing 2016 season.

After recording baseball’s best record that campaign, 103-58, the Cubs went 11-6 in the postseason, eliminating the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Cleveland Indians. The final hurdle was a classic seven-game World Series.

As far as regular seasons go, the 1906 Cubs finished with the best mark ever recorded in the 20th century: 116-36 (.763 winning percentage). However, that club fell to the Chicago White Sox in six games in that season’s World Series.

The Cubs have been mostly a contender the last several campaigns, making the playoffs in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2020. However, their 2021 season marked the team’s only losing record of this period (71-91).

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Stream the Chicago Cubs

Perhaps you’ll find most Cubs games air on FOX Sports South, FOX Sports Southeast, FS1, ESPN, ESPN+, or TBS. Some games will air on MLB.tv and MLB Network too. There are online streaming services that offer most of these channels to catch the Cubs live stream.

What’s great about streaming services is that you aren’t locked into a contract. You can try some of them for free and move on if it doesn’t work for you. For example, Sling TV (save $10 on Sling TV), FuboTV (free for 7 days), and some other services give you a trial.

It only takes minutes to sign up, so you can sign up and be watching TV at the same hour. As opposed to cable TV, you can use computers, mobile devices, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and Chromecast, to name a few.

Chicago Cubs With FuboTV

FuboTV offers over 105 channels and you can get 170+ with the $84.99/mo Elite plan. You’ll also have FOX, FS1, ESPN channels, and TBS. fubuTV now also offers MLB Network.

Features of FuboTV include:

• From $74.99/mo + a free for 7 days with the Pro plan
• No contracts to lock you in
• Over 105 channels
• ESPN channels and MLB Network are available
• 750 hours of free cloud DVR
• Watch on devices like Roku, mobile, and tablets
• Read this FuboTV review for more information

FuboTV offers a service that is cheaper than cable with at least as many channels. Your package includes multiple-device streaming and you can add additional channels to customize your plan. Try FuboTV free for 7 days.

Sign Up for a Free 7-Day Fubo Trial

Chicago Cubs With Sling TV

Sling TV is one of the cheapest streaming packages available. Both plans start at just $40.00/mo. The Sling Orange package offers both ESPN and TBS, both of which stream some Cubs games.

For another $10/month you can add the Sports Extra bundle, which gives you MLB Network and several other sports channels. Sling TV’s streaming plans offer most channels you need to watch the Cubs play this season.

Sling TV Summary:

• Orange and Blue packages starting at $40.00/mo
• Save $10 on your first month of Sling TV.
• Sports Extra bundle for an additional $10/month gets you MLB Network and other sports channels
• TV on-demand or with TV Everywhere apps
• No contracts to lock you in — monthly cancellation available
• 50 hours of free DVR with both plans
• Watch on devices like Roku, Apple TV, mobile devices, Chromecast, and laptops
• Currently, save $10 on your first month of Sling TV.
• See our Sling TV review for a deeper breakdown

Don’t miss Team USA at the World Baseball Classic all March for just $20 on Sling TV!

Save 50% With Sling TV

Other Options

Now that you know more about Sling TV and FuboTV, here are some alternative streaming solutions to watch the Chicago Cubs online. Each service offers a free trial or promo, so you can watch some free or discounted TV and see if you like the plan enough to pay for it.

Here are the alternatives:

• DIRECTV STREAM – The Plus package offers 75+ channels for $74.99/mo. There are more advanced plans for $99.99/mo and $109.99/mo with 100+ channels. This provider also offers the most regional sports networks like Bally Sports (formerly FOX). Get DIRECTV STREAM free for 5 days. Read our DIRECTV STREAM review for more info.
• Hulu with Live TV – 85+ channels and Hulu on-demand for $94.99 per month. Packages include local channels (in most areas), TBS, FSN, ESPN, and more. Our Hulu Live review has more to offer.
• YouTube TV – 85+ channels, an on-demand library, and an unlimited cloud-DVR for $64.99/month.  Stream ESPN networks, local channels, FS1, TBS, and more. Our YouTube TV review has more details.
• ESPN+ – For $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year, stream live and on-demand MLB, with access to other major events and leagues like NFL and UFC.
• MLB.tv – Stream out-of-market MLB games for a monthly, yearly, or single team subscription from $24.99.

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These are some other ways you can watch sports online without cable. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment.

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FAQs

What channel can I watch the Chicago Cubs game tonight?

Marquee Sports broadcasts the most of Chicago Cubs games. Its coverage area includes most of Illinois and Iowa and some of Indiana, Wisconsin and Nebraska. Contests not shown there will be broadcast nationally on ABC, ESPN, Fox, FS1, MLB Network, or TBS. But there are few of these games. For example, the team’s Windy City showdown with the White Sox on Aug 8, 2021, was the first MLB regular-season game broadcast on ABC since 1995.

How can I listen to the Chicago Cubs on the radio?

Chicago Cubs radio broadcasts can be heard on stations in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Its flagship station is WSCR-AM 670 in Chicago while commentary is provided by play-by-play voice Pat Hughes and analyst Ron Coomer. You can also listen to every Cubs radio broadcast online through an MLB Audio subscription, which costs $2.99 a month or $19.99 a season.

When was the last time that the Chicago Cubs won the World Series?

As most baseball fans know, prior to 2016, the answer to this question would have been 1908. However, the Chicago Cubs finally broke through in 2016 to claim that season’s World Series over the Cleveland Guardians (“Indians” at the time) in an exciting seven-game affair. That was the franchise’s third World Series crown; the others came in 1907 and 1908. The Cubs have also claimed 17 National League pennants, the first coming in that competition’s inaugural season of 1876.

How can I watch Chicago Cubs games on my phone?

A subscription to DIRECTV STREAM or FuboTV provides in-market access to Chicago Cubs broadcasts on their respective apps. Conversely, if you are located outside of where the team’s games are blacked out on MLB.TV, you can subscribe to that service to watch broadcasts through the MLB app. That blackout area includes all of Iowa, most of Illinois and Indiana and a small portion of Wisconsin.

Can I stream Chicago Cubs games for free?

In most cases, no. However, some exceptions exist. If you are outside of the Chicago Cubs blackout region, you can take advantage of the times when the team is featured on the MLB.TV Free Game of the Day. In addition, the Cubs may be sporadically shown on MLB’s mostly weekly YouTube broadcasts. Additionally, nationally broadcast games on Fox and ABC can be accessed via an antenna.

What is the Chicago Cubs 2023 Schedule?

Here is the Cubs regular-season schedule (EDT). All the games will air on Marquee Sports except as indicated (and many of those will be simulcast).

How do I watch non-Cubs MLB teams?

These guides explain how to watch specific teams:

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Frank Moraes is Content Editor at HotDog.com. He specializes in technology, business, and film/television. You can see his writing on low-budget and weird film at Psychotronic Review — and many other places.

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