Cubs’ Marquee Sports Network reveals opening day lineup

When ESPN launched in 1979, anchor Lee Leonard spoke the first words on the network:

“If you’re a fan, if you’re a fan, what you’ll see in the next minutes, hours and days to follow may convince you you’ve gone to sports heaven.”

Marquee Sports Network might make Cubs fans feel that way.

If they can watch it.

But let’s not focus on carriage disputes here. Let’s see what Cubs heaven will look like for fans with access to the channel when it launches at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The first voice fans will hear will be Harry Caray’s. Then they’ll hear from actor and noted Cubs fan Bill Murray. It’s all part of “Marquee Debut,” an hourlong introduction to the network, what Marquee general manager Mike McCarthy called “infotainment.”

“We’ll give you smatterings of all the shows that we have,” said McCarthy, the former president of MSG Network in New York. “The inside-access show, the ‘Cubs Classics’ show, the ‘Cubs Countdown’ shows. And we will introduce all of our on-air talent. Then we’ll lead into the game at 2 o’clock.”

Athletics-Cubs is the first of 28 Cactus League games Marquee will air. It’ll be followed by “More Than Mr. Cub,” a 90-minute documentary on Ernie Banks. Sandwiched around a replay of the spring opener will be “Best of Cubs YouTube” and “Cubs Countdown,” listing the top games in team history.

“Our theme here will be Cub-centric,” McCarthy said. “If people are familiar with YES Network in New York, that gives Yankee fans their fix. They throw it on for an hour, two hours in the offseason, and they get their Yankee fix. We’re going to provide that and then some here.”

Other programs include panel discussions with a format like that of “The Sportswriters on TV,” a Chicago talk show that aired in the 1980s and ’90s. The network taped an episode Tuesday in Mesa, Arizona, with Ryan Dempster, Doug Glanville, Mark Grace, Lou Piniella and host Chris Myers. “Cubs 162” will be similar to HBO’s “Hard Knocks” in terms of access. MLB Network will produce a weekly highlight show.

But it won’t be all Cubs, all the time. There’s “Follow the Money,” a live studio show from Las Vegas by Vegas Stats & Information Network. Stadium, a sports network that operates out of the atrium in the United Center, will air a live half-hour show daily at 5 p.m. Viewers will find sports ranging from college basketball to PBA bowling to surfing.

“We’ve got more content to provide from a programming perspective than any other [regional sports network] can say they have,” said McCarthy, whose network benefits from its partnership with Sinclair Broadcast Group, which bought the 21 former Fox RSNs and is a part-owner of Stadium. “It’s a work in progress, too. We’re going to see what works. TV is not an exact science.”

Another work in progress is scheduling Marquee’s numerous guest game analysts to join Len Kasper and Jim Deshaies. When they do, they won’t be making merely a celebrity appearance. Whether it’s Mark DeRosa, Dan Plesac, Rick Sutcliffe or whoever, he’ll be a third voice in the booth for the entire game. Grace will be the first guest Saturday.

Myers will fill in for Kasper on play-by-play when Kasper calls games for Fox or fills in for Pat Hughes on The Score. McCarthy said it might be 10-20 games. Whereas fans finally can be certain what channel the Cubs are on, they might be less certain who will be in the booth. McCarthy said the network likely will publicize game crews.

He also stressed that Marquee would have free rein when it comes to reporting on the Cubs.

“The Cubs have made it very clear to have credibility on our air,” he said. “There isn’t going to be any micromanaging in terms of the content. If things are struggling, we’ll be reporting it. Len can tell you he’s worked with this management group for a long time. He’s never been told to avoid anything in particular. We wouldn’t anticipate that happening here.”

McCarthy does anticipate fans enjoying what they watch, and he has a history of knowing what that is having produced Mets and Yankees games for over a decade. It didn’t take him long to learn his new audience.

“This fan base is the envy of anybody in the country. They’re so devoted, they’re so passionate,” McCarthy said. “And to be able to bring them a channel all their own. … There’s history and stories, the folklore behind this team. It’s deserved this for a while. Its fans have, too. And I think we’re lucky to be a part of it.”

MARQUEE SPORTS NETWORK’S OPENING DAY LINEUP

Central time

1 p.m. – “Marquee Debut” (Learn about network’s programs, meet on-air talent)

2 p.m. – Athletics at Cubs, Sloan Park (spring-training opener, with guest analyst Mark Grace)

5 p.m. – “More Than Mr. Cub” (Ernie Banks documentary)

6:30 p.m. – “Best of Cubs YouTube” (Most viewed videos from YouTube channel)

7 p.m. – Athletics at Cubs replay

10 p.m. – “Cubs Countdown” (Top games in team history)