Cubs fans rejoice! Marquee and Comcast reach a deal

The Cubs’ Marquee Sports Network and Comcast, the largest cable provider in Chicago, reached a last-minute carriage agreement. That means thousands of Cubs fans will be able to watch tonight’s season opener and the rest of the shortened baseball season.

Comcast updated its channel guide early Friday, showing Marquee will be Channel 202 on the system.

Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney said Thursday that he expected to complete a deal with Comcast in time for tonight’s game against the Brewers.

“This has been a pattern — not just with our station but with stations all over the country,” Kenney told the Sun-Times. “Unfortunately for our fans, it has been something that, from Day 1, was gonna be the m.o. for Comcast, to hold out until the very last moment.”

Marquee was already available on other major carriers, including AT&T and Hulu.

“This agreement [with Comcast] is monumental for us and the multitude of Chicagoans who can now watch live Cubs games on a network as dedicated to the team as they are,” Marquee Sports Network GM Mike McCarthy said in a statement.