Marquee Sports Network, the regional sports network that covers the Chicago Cubs, will be moving from Comcast’s Popular package to the higher priced Ultimate package after the current MLB regular season.
The Chicago Sun Times first reported about the move and filled fans in on how to watch their home team through the rest of this season.
“We’re beginning to notify customers that effective Oct. 1, and after MLB regular season, Marquee Sports Network will transition to the Ultimate TV level of service,” a Comcast spokesperson told the Chicago Sun Times. “We will have promotional offers for those who want to continue receiving it after that time.”
Marquee Sports Network is just the latest RSN to be moved to the more expensive tier. In January, Comcast announced that NBC Sports Boston and NESN would be moved to the Ultimate package for Boston residents, with NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California following just a couple days later. Before that, Comcast shifted several other networks, including Fanduel TV (formerly Bally Sports) to the higher priced package.
While RSNs were once part of basic cable plans, the shifting cable landscape has made the channels more expensive to carry. Streaming and cable platforms blame higher carriage fees for the increased costs for customers, both individual households and businesses that depend on fans coming in on game days.