By Jim Kimble / Updated March 22, 2023
There are a number of ways to watch Chicago Cubs games live without a cable TV or satellite package during the 2023 season.
But watching home games without cable requires a subscription to a live TV streaming service that carries Marquee Sports Network.
Nationally televised games during the regular season in 2023 are on FOX, ESPN, FS1, TBS and MLB Network. A few post-season games air on ABC.
This guide aims to give you a comprehensive look at how to watch Cubs games without cable TV for the 2023 season.
How to watch Chicago Cubs Games Live
The Chicago Cubs broadcast most of their games on Marquee Sports Network. The regional sports channel has exclusive rights to in-market Chicago Cubs games.
Marquee Sports Network is only carried by two streaming services, DIRECTV STREAM and fubo.
Where can I watch Marquee Sports Network?
Marquee Sports Network is available to pay-TV subscribers in five states.
The Cubs TV market is throughout parts of Illinois and Iowa, Western Nebraska, the northern and western parts of Central Indiana, and Kenosha County, Wisconsin.
You can find the regional sports network through cable TV providers or select live TV streaming services.
DIRECTV STREAM has a 5-day free trial. You can watch every home game this season on DIRECTV STREAM if you live in the broadcast area of Marquee Sports Network.
Fubo has a 7-day free trial, and also carries every channel you need for the Cubs when they play at home or on the road. National broadcast games are on ESPN, FOX, FS1, and TNT.
| STREAMING SERVICE | Marquee Sports Network | ESPN/FOX/FS1/TBS |
|---|---|---|
| DIRECTV STREAM | Yes | Yes |
| fuboTV | Yes | No TBS |
| Hulu Live TV | No | Yes |
| Sling TV | No | Yes |
| YouTube TV | No | Yes |
Apple TV+ is streaming two live baseball games on Friday nights during the 2023 Major League Baseball season. The Friday night games require a subscription. Apple TV+, which costs $6.99 per month after a 7-day free trial. The games are part of the National Broadcast schedule.
NBC’s Peacock is streaming exclusive Sunday morning games.
You can watch these games on any Smart TV or streaming device that supports the two apps. This marks the second year in a row for Apple and Peacock streaming MLB games.
Cord-cutters can watch some national broadcast games for free using a TV antenna. I started streaming MLB games in 2016 back when PlayStation Vue began carrying NESN in its channel lineup.
How to Stream Chicago Cubs Games
Watching live Cubs games without cable TV is pretty simple. You just need a few things to start streaming MLB games on your TV.
- A streaming service that carries Marquee Sports Network and the channels that carry national broadcast games
- A Smart TV or streaming device such as a Roku connected to your TV
You can watch live TV channels through the app of streaming services such as DIRECTV STREAM. Live TV streaming services have apps for Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast with Google TV.
These apps are available on Smart TVs, iPhones/iPads (iOS), and Android smartphones. You can watch live TV on a PC through a web browser. Gamers can watch on Xbox and Playstation game consoles.
DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) includes ESPN, FOX and FS1 in its Entertainment plan for $74.99 per month.
But to watch Chicago Cubs games at home, you will want a subscription to the Choice package because it carries Marquee Sports Network. The Choice plan costs $99.99 per month for 105 channels.
TNT, MLB Network, USA Network and local channels such as NBC and CBS are included in the Choice lineup.
Subscribers can get three months of HBO Max, Showtime, Cinemax and EPIX for free before the monthly rates kick in. You can watch live TV on unlimited screens in your home.
You can sign up for a free 5-day trial without any obligations.
Every plan includes unlimited Cloud DVR and a robust library of on-demand movies and shows. There are no contracts. There are no additional regional sports fees.
You can subscribe month to month and cancel whenever you want.
DIRECTV STREAM works on Roku, Android TV, Fire TV devices, Apple TV and smartphones and tablets. You can look over the different channel lineups before making any decisions.
fubo
fubo (formerly fuboTV) has Marquee Sports Network, FS1 and FOX as part of its Pro channel bundle.
The Pro bundle has more than 152 channels, including ESPN, FS1 and local NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX stations. A&E, History, Big Ten Network, AMC, and HGTV are part of the Pro plan.
A subscription costs $74.99 per month. You can watch TV or on-demand content on 10 screens at once. fuboTV adds a regional sports fee. It costs $10.99 per month for one regional network. It’s $13.99 per month if you have two RSNs in your area.
You can look over the local channel lineup for your area.
fuboTV remains the only live TV streaming service to offer select sporting events in 4K.
Subscribers get 1,000 hours of Cloud DVR for recordings. You can also use fubo’s lookback feature for watching sporting events that aired in the last 72 hours.
fuboTV works on Samsung and Hisense Smart TVs, Roku, Fire TV, Google Chromecast and Apple TV. There are mobile apps for iOS and Android.
If you stream fuboTV from a PC or Mac, you can also tap into on-demand shows and movies.
fuboTV offers a free trial for 7-days.
MLB.tv (Out-of-Market)
MLB.tv live streams all out-of-market games for every team.
Chicago Cubs games are blacked out for fans living in the team’s home broadcast region. The service allows subscribers who live in an out-of-market area to watch games.
A subscription to MLB.tv costs $24.99 per month. Amazon Prime members can get a free 7-day trial of MLB.tv through Amazon Channels. The regular rate kicks in once the trial ends.
Apple TV+
Apple TV+ is delivering two weekly Friday night games during the 2023 MLB season.
The first leg of MLB games will be require a subscription this year, according to Apple. Games begin on April 7.
| DATE | TIME (ET) | GAME |
|---|---|---|
| April 7 | 2:20 p.m. | Rangers at Cubs |
| April 7 | 7:20 p.m. | Padres at Braves |
| April 14 | 6:40 p.m. | Giants at Tigers |
| April 14 | 7:10 p.m. | Angels at Red Sox |
| April 21 | 7:05 p.m. | Blue Jays at Yankees |
| April 21 | 7:20 p.m. | Astros at Braves |
| April 28 | 8:10 p.m. | Phillies at Astros |
| April 28 | 10:10 p.m. | Cardinals at Dodgers |
| May 5 | 6:40 p.m. | White Sox at Reds |
| May 5 | 7:10 p.m. | Twins at Guardians |
| May 12 | 8:10 p.m. | Royals at Brewers |
| May 12 | 8:10 p.m. | Cubs at Twins |
| May 19 | 7:07 p.m. | Orioles at Blue Jays |
| May 19 | 7:20 p.m. | Mariners at Braves |
| May 26 | 7:05 p.m. | Padres at Yankees |
| May 26 | 7:10 p.m. | White Sox at Tigers |
| June 2 | 5:10 p.m. | Brewers at Reds |
| June 2 | 8:10 p.m. | Guardians at Twins |
| June 9 | 7:05 p.m. | Royals at Orioles |
| June 9 | 9:38 p.m. | Mariners at Angels |
| June 16 | 8:10 p.m. | Pirates at Brewers |
| June 16 | 10:10 p.m. | White Sox at Mariners |
| June 23 | 6:40 p.m. | Pirates at Marlins |
| June 23 | 7:05 p.m. | Mets at Phillies |
| June 23 | 7:05 p.m. | Brewers at Pirates |
| June 30 | 9:38 p.m. | Diamondbacks at Angels |
Apple TV+ works on most major streaming devices, including Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast with Google TV.
Smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, Panasonic and Hisense are also supported. A subscription costs $6.99 per month after a free 7-day trial.
Peacock
Peacock begins streaming Sunday morning MLB games on April 23.
Games will be available on the Premium plan. Peacock Premium costs $4.99 per month. There is a free 7-day trial for Peacock Premium.
| DATE | TIME (ET) | GAME |
|---|---|---|
| April 23 | 12:05 p.m. | Colorado Rockies at Philadelphia Phillies |
| April 30 | 12:05 p.m. | Chicago Cubs at Miami Marlins |
| May 7 | 11:35 a.m. | Baltimore Orioles at Atlanta Braves |
| May 14 | 11:35 a.m. | Los Angeles Angels at Cleveland Guardians |
| May 21 | 11:35 a.m. | New York Yankees at Cincinnati Reds |
| May 28 | 11:35 a.m. | Los Angeles Dodgers at Tampa Bay Rays |
| June 4 | 11:35 a.m. | St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates |
| June 11 | 11:35 a.m. | Arizona Diamondbacks at Detroit Tigers |
| June 18 | 1:05 p.m. | Baltimore Orioles at Chicago Cubs |
| July 2 | 12:05 p.m. | Minnesota Twins at Baltimore Orioles |
| July 9 | 12:05 p.m. | Texas Rangers at Washington Nationals |
| July 16 | 12:05 p.m. | San Francisco Giants at Pittsburgh Pirates |
| July 23 | 12:05 p.m. | San Diego Padres at Detroit Tigers |
| July 30 | 12:05 p.m. | Los Angeles Angels at Toronto Blue Jays |
| August 6 | 12:05 p.m. | Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Guardians |
| August 13 | 12:05 p.m. | Detroit Tigers at Boston Red Sox |
| August 20 | 1:05 p.m. | Seattle Mariners at Houston Astros |
| August 27 | 12:05 p.m. | Los Angeles Angels at New York Mets |
| September 3 | 1:05 p.m. | Philadelphia Phillies at Milwaukee Brewers |
Peacock works on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku. The service has apps for a wide variety of Android TV-enabled Smart TVs, including Sony. Smart TVs by LG, Samsung, Vizio and Hisense are supported as well.
You can sign up for a free 7-day trial for Peacock Premium.
ESPN+
ESPN+ is streaming one live MLB game per day that is part of the national broadcast schedule.
Out-of-market games are still governed by local blackout restrictions.
You will need your local regional sports channel to watch home games.
Replays are made available after a live game streams on ESPN+. A subscription to ESPN+ costs $9.99 per month, and you can bundle ESPN+ with Hulu and Disney+.
How to Watch Cubs games free with a TV antenna
A TV antenna is the best way to watch Chicago Cubs games for free when games air on ABC and FOX.
FOX broadcasts games throughout the regular season. ABC becomes a key channel for post-season MLB games.
If you are a Cubs fan who is new to TV antennas, here is a list of resources that I have written to get you started.
- How to Choose the Best TV Antenna
- How to Connect Multiple TVs to One Antenna
- Review: The Best Indoor TV Antennas
- Review: The Best Outdoor TV Antennas
How to Watch Chicago Cubs FAQ
These are questions readers ask when searching for ways to watch or stream Chicago Cubs games without a pay TV provider.
How can I watch the Chicago Cubs game today?
You have two choices to watch Cubs games live when they play at home. DIRECTV STREAM and fuboTV both carry Marquee Sports Network.
- DIRECTV STREAM’s Choice plan has 105 channels, including ESPN, FOX, FS1, and TBS. There is a 5-day free trial, and plans run month to month. A subscription costs $99.99 per month.
- fubo has 152 channels, including Marquee Sports Network, ESPN, and local channels. The Pro plan costs $74.99 per month. There is a free 7-day trial. The regional sports fee is $10.99 or $13.99 per month, depending on whether you get one or two RSNs.
Hulu Live TV, Sling TV and YouTube TV only carry national broadcast games on ESPN, FOX and FS1. Apple TV+, ESPN+ and Peacock stream MLB games that are national broadcasts as well.
Can I watch the Chicago Cubs on YouTube TV?
YouTube TV does not carry Marquee Sports Network. But YouTube TV does have local FOX stations, FS1, ESPN and TBS. Those channels broadcast nationally televised games. A subscription costs $72.99 per month, includes unlimited Cloud DVR and a free trial that lasts 7 days.
Can I watch the Chicago Cubs on Hulu?
Hulu Live TV has ESPN, FS1, TBS and local FOX channels that carry national broadcast games. But Hulu’s live TV plan does not carry Marquee Sports Network, which has home games for the Chicago Cubs. A subscription includes 75 live TV channels, and unlimited Cloud DVR for $69.99 per month.
Can I watch the Cubs games on Sling TV?
Sling Orange subscribers can watch the Cubs when games are on ESPN and TBS. FS1 is on the Sling Blue plan. Sling TV does not carry any regional sports networks.
Local FOX stations are in a limited number of markets. If you live in or around one of these cities, then you should be able to watch the Cubs when games are on local FOX stations:
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Chicago
- Dallas/Fort Worth
- Detroit
- Gainesville
- Houston
- Los Angeles
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis/St. Paul
- New York
- Orlando/Daytona/Melbourne
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa/St. Petersburg
- Washington, DC
Does Marquee Sports Network have an app?
DIRECTV STREAM is currently the only live TV streaming service that lets you activate the Marquee Sports app. fuboTV currently does not support TV Everywhere access to the Marquee Sports Network app.
What channel is the Chicago Cubs game on tonight?
Chicago Cubs games are typically on Marquee Sports Network. The schedule below breaks down what channel or streaming service has national broadcast games for the 2023 MLB season.
| DAY | CUBS MLB NATIONAL BROADCAST SCHEDULE |
|---|---|
| Sunday morning | Peacock |
| Sunday afternoon | TBS |
| Sunday night | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| Monday night | ESPN or FS1 |
| Tuesday night | TBS |
| Wednesday Night | ESPN, FS1, MLB Network |
| Thursday Night | ESPN, FOX and MLB Network |
| Friday Night | Apple TV+ |
| Saturday Afternoon | FOX |
| Saturday Night | FOX, FS1 |
Note: This article was originally published on April 1, 2022. It has been updated to reflect new streaming options, prices and updated schedules.
For more news on streaming, how-to guides and reviews, head over to the main page of The Cord Cutting Report or follow the CCR on Google News.
Founder and Editor of The Cord Cutting Report. Before launching the site in 2016, he worked for more than two decades as a staff writer or correspondent for a number of daily newspapers, including The Boston Globe. His enthusiasm for tech began with the Atari 2600. Follow @james_kimble
