"the Cubs and White Sox Crosstown Series at Rate Field this weekend is available over-the-air on WCIU-Ch. 26, no cable subscription required. In 2026, that's genuinely worth noting. Between Marquee Sports Network locking up the Cubs and CHSN handling the White Sox (both of which now live behind cable or a pricier Comcast tier) the average Chicago fan without a pay-TV package has had very few options for watching local baseball since WGN-TV aired its final Cubs broadcast on September 27, 2019, ending a 72-year run."
"For 72 years, WGN was the home of Chicago Cubs baseball. Then it was gone. The last time a Crosstown Series game was freely available on traditional over-the-air television in Chicago before CHSN came along was that same year, though CHSN did simulcast last year's Rate Field series on WCIU, making this the second straight year Chicago fans have gotten a free TV option for the home Crosstown games."
"CHSN is simulcasting 10 White Sox games on WCIU this season as part of a partnership with Weigel Broadcasting, and the three-game Crosstown home series at Rate Field (May 15-17) is right at the top of that list. All three games come with full pre- and post-game coverage, and at least some of the simulcasts include CHSN's Friday Night All-Access package with mic'd up players and behind-the-scenes access."
"CHSN did the same thing last year with seven WCIU simulcasts, including the Crosstown Series, so this isn't brand-new, but it's still a genuinely nice gesture for fans who either haven't upgraded their cable package or have ditched it altogether."
Cubs and White Sox Crosstown Series games at Rate Field are available over-the-air on WCIU-Ch. 26, requiring no cable subscription. This matters because local Cubs and White Sox broadcasts have largely moved behind cable or higher-tier Comcast packages. WGN-TV previously carried Cubs baseball for 72 years until its final Cubs broadcast on September 27, 2019. Since then, over-the-air Chicago baseball has been rare, with only limited exceptions such as an ABC national broadcast in August 2021. CHSN simulcasts 10 White Sox games on WCIU this season, including the three-game Crosstown home series May 15-17, with full pre- and post-game coverage and some broadcasts featuring CHSN’s Friday Night All-Access content.
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