The Cubs are reportedly going to ask cable/satellite operators for $6 per subscriber for their new Cubs-only TV channel when it launches in 2020.
This has created some consternation among Cubs fans. First, there’s a concern that cable/satellite operators will balk at that price, leaving the channel uncarried by certain carriers, similar to what has happened in Los Angeles with the Dodgers channel SportsNetLA. Second, because of a long tradition of Cubs baseball on free, over-the-air (OTA) television and nationally on basic cable, many Cubs fans are balking at having to pay more to see their team.