Five years ago, Tom Ricketts stood on stage at Cubs Convention and tried to calm a crowd that wasn’t buying what he was selling. The boos that rained down when he mentioned the launch of Marquee Sports Network were loud and clear. His response - a confident “You guys won’t be booing about the Marquee Network next year” - hasn’t exactly aged well.
Fast forward to today, and not only are fans still booing, but the network itself is undergoing a major shakeup that raises serious questions about its future - and what it all means for the Cubs as an organization.
Marquee’s Rocky Road
When Marquee was introduced, it was pitched as a game-changer. The idea was simple: create a team-owned regional sports network (RSN) that would unlock a new revenue stream and help the Cubs operate like the big-market powerhouse they are. More money from the network would, in theory, mean more money for free agents, for payroll, for winning.
Instead, Marquee has been a headache almost from day one. Carriage disputes with major cable providers left fans scrambling to find games.
The rollout was bumpy, and the goodwill never quite materialized. Now, with major layoffs and a clear restructuring underway, the network looks less like an ambitious, independent media venture and more like a fully in-house Cubs operation.
General Manager Penny Villa, who took the reins in April 2024, is out. So are digital content director Tony Andracki and reporter Andy Martinez, among others. The digital content team has been gutted, and the message is clear: this is a pivot, not a patch.
What This Means for the Cubs - Right Now
From a baseball operations standpoint, don’t expect this to change much this offseason. It’s likely the Cubs’ front office - led by Jed Hoyer - already had a sense of what was coming. The budget Ricketts handed down probably accounted for these changes, meaning the team’s approach to free agency and roster building this winter is already baked in.
So, no, this doesn’t suddenly mean the Cubs are out of the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes (if they were ever in it), nor does it mean they’re suddenly flush with cash. But it does underscore that the business side of the franchise is in a state of transition - and that could have ripple effects down the line.
The Bigger Picture: RSNs, Revenue, and the CBA
Where this gets really interesting is in the long-term implications - particularly as MLB heads into collective bargaining agreement (CBA) discussions next year. One of the biggest issues on the table? Broadcast rights.
Major League Baseball has made no secret of its desire to centralize team broadcasts, especially with RSNs collapsing around the league. The goal is to create a more stable, league-wide model for distributing games and revenue. But that’s a tough sell for teams like the Cubs, who own their own network and, in theory, have more to lose in a centralized system.
Then again, maybe the Cubs aren’t as resistant as we once thought. If the Marquee model isn’t delivering the returns Ricketts hoped for - and if the network is being pulled closer under the team’s umbrella - the idea of selling off broadcast rights for market value might suddenly look a lot more appealing.
Of course, there’s still the matter of the Cubs’ long-term deal with Sinclair Broadcast Group, a detail that complicates any potential shift in strategy. The specifics of that agreement - and how flexible it is - remain unclear.
A Changing Landscape for Cubs Fans
There’s also the fan experience to consider. For decades, watching Cubs games was simple.
You turned on WGN, and there they were - a daily ritual, easy to find and impossible to miss. That era is over, and while Marquee was supposed to carry the torch, it’s never quite managed to capture that same connection with the fanbase.
Just as fans were starting to accept Marquee as the new normal, the foundation seems to be shifting again. The layoffs, the restructuring, the uncertainty - it all points to a network in flux. And in a media landscape where RSNs are falling like dominoes, Marquee’s future feels more fragile than ever.
What Comes Next?
The Cubs are at a crossroads - not just on the field, but off it. The decisions they make now, both in the front office and in the boardroom, will shape the direction of the franchise for years to come.
The Marquee experiment was supposed to be a bold step forward. Instead, it’s become a cautionary tale in the rapidly evolving world of sports media.
And while the team’s offseason plans may not be derailed by these changes, the long-term vision is cloudier than it’s been in a while. What began as a promise of independence and innovation has turned into a reminder that even big-market teams aren’t immune to the shifting tides of the broadcast world.
For Cubs fans, the hope is that the product on the field can provide some clarity - and maybe a few reasons to cheer - while the picture off the field continues to evolve.