FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 14th, 2013

COMCAST SPORTSNET ANNOUNCES ITS 2013 CHICAGO CUBS ON-AIR/ONLINE COVERAGE

80 Regular Season game schedule begins April 3, 6:00 PM at Pittsburgh featuring new game analyst Jim Deshaies;

Plus – Exclusive Cubs content 24/7 on CSNChicago.com, Every Home and Road Game in HD,

“Crosstown Classic” action vs. White Sox and much more!

 Chicago, IL (March 14, 2013) – Comcast SportsNet, the television home for the most games and most comprehensive coverage of future team cornerstone Anthony Rizzo (.285 avg, 15 HRs, 48 RBI in just 87 games in 2012), 2012 All-Star Starlin Castro (183 hits, 78 RBI), 2012 NL Gold Glove winner Darwin Barney (NL record 141 consecutive games without an error), veteran standout Alfonso Soriano (32 HR, 108 RBI), starter Jeff Samardzija (2nd in NL in strikeouts per 9 IP), second-year manager Dale Sveum and the rest of the 2013 Chicago Cubs, has announced its Cubs telecast schedule and accompanying on-air network coverage and online coverage on CSNChicago.com.

 The 2013 Cubs season on Comcast SportsNet includes 80 live regular season games with the first telecast taking place on Wednesday, April 3 at 6:00 PM as the Cubs travel to face the division rival Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park featuring the Cubs announcing tandem of Len Kasper and his new on-air partner Jim Deshaies with the game call.  Pre-game coverage gets underway on SportsTalk Live presented by Smirnoff beginning at 5:00 PM with host David Kaplan.

Comcast SportsNet’s first Cubs home game telecast of the 2013 campaign airs on Wednesday, April 10 at 7:00 PM on CSN+ as the Cubs host their NL Central foe, the Milwaukee Brewers (CSN+ coverage begins at 6:30 PM with Papa John’s Cubs Pre-Game Live featuring Comcast SportsNet’s Cubs studio duo of David Kaplan and Todd Hollandsworth, with the game immediately followed by Cubs Post Game Live).  On Thursday, April 11, Comcast SportsNet airs its first Cubs home afternoon contest of the year as they face the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants (Papa John’s Cubs Pre-Game Live gets underway at 12:30 PM; first pitch is set for 1:20 PM).

Game enhancements of note for the 2013 Cubs season include a brand new graphics package featuring the NBC Sports look, along with the return of CSN’s popular super slo-mo technology entitled “The Look,” an HD technology that is capable of showing slow-motion replays of over 2,000 frames per second.  In addition, fans can once again look forward to “Pitch Trax” in all games this season, which animates the precise pitch location throughout the game in a variety of angles, plus – CSN will incorporate a “Telestrator” into select game telecasts this season, detailing key plays, defensive field formations and much more.

In addition to the 80 regular season games, Comcast SportsNet will also air a pair of live Cubs spring training telecasts beginning with a match-up against SF Giants on Monday, March 25 at 3:00 PM live from HoHoKam Park in Mesa, AZ.  The other spring training telecast will air on Thursday, March 28 at 2:00 PM, as the Cubs host Seattle, also from Mesa, AZ.

Among the 2013 Cubs regular season schedule highlights on Comcast SportsNet include numerous NL Central battles against the defending division champion Cincinnati Reds (12 games), Milwaukee Brewers (9 games), Pittsburgh Pirates (9 games) and St. Louis Cardinals (8 games).  In addition, viewers can look forward to three games against the WS champion Giants, three games against 2012 NL “Rookie of the Year” Bryce Harper, pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg and the NL East champion Washington Nationals and… an expanded interleague schedule starting this season includes numerous games against AL West foes: Josh Hamilton, Albert Pujols, Mike Trout and the LA Angels, former White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski and the Texas Rangers, along with west coast trips to meet AL West champion Oakland and Seattle.  PLUS — Comcast SportsNet will carry all four Cubs-White Sox “Crosstown Classic” interleague games this year.  (NOTE: The May 27 & 29 “Crosstown” games will be “Cubs” telecasts on Comcast SportsNet, while the May 28 & 30 games will be “White Sox” telecasts.)  (The below schedule details CSN’s complete 2013 spring training and regular season Cubs game schedule.)

Beginning this season, former MLB pitcher and veteran baseball game analyst Jim Deshaies joins play-by-play man Len Kasper for every Cubs game on Comcast SportsNet.  Plus, Comcast SportsNet’s David Kaplan will be joined by former Cubs/MLB standout Todd Hollandsworth before and after the majority of Comcast SportsNet Cubs telecasts on Papa John’s Cubs Pre-Game Live and Cubs Post Game Live.

From an online perspective, Comcast SportsNet’s website, CSNChicago.com, delivers comprehensive 24/7 Cubs coverage all season long, including the following highlights:

  • Live stream of Cubs manager Dale Sveum’s post-game press conferences following every home game
  • In Game Live – a seamless social and interactive second screen experience around Cubs broadcasts – extends the game from the TV screen to the tablet, mobile phone and PC. In Game Live combines state-of-the-art infographics and data visualization of real-time statistics and game info with rich social interactivity.
  • Cubs “Insider” Patrick Mooney returns for his fourth season on the beat.  Follow him on Twitter @CSNMooney for the latest team/player news and inside access 24/7.  Mooney will also file daily stories, video reports and will make regular on-air appearances throughout the season on Cubs Pre-Game Live, SportsTalk Live, SportsNet Central and various Comcast SportsNet Cubs games.
  • Cubs Pre/Post Game Live host David Kaplan will offer his insight and breaking news coverage 24/7 via his popular “Kapman” blog all year.  Fans can follow Kaplan on Twitter @thekapman, for up-to-the-second Cubs news.
  • Cubs reporter Luke Stuckmeyer will also contribute digital content and videos for CSNChicago.com throughout the season.  Stuckmeyer can also be followed on Twitter @LukeStuckmeyer.
  • Fans can also get interactive on Twitter by utilizing hashtags #CubsTalk for the latest news, rumors, trades and more by following @CubsTalkCSN.
  • CSNChicago.com digital baseball producers Tony Andracki (@TonyAndracki23) and JJ Stankevitz (@JJStankevitz) will also be providing game day reports, analysis and features.
  • NBCSports.com National Columnist Joe Posnanski (@JPosnanski) will be making regular contributions on the Cubs and national stories on CSNChicago.com.  NOTE: Posanski’s “The Big Read” weekly Friday column on March 22 will be a long-form story on Cubs President of Baseball Operation Theo Epstein.
  • In addition, CSNChicago.com will work closely with NBCSports.com and its “Hardball Talk” blog and Yahoo! Sports and its “Big League Stew” blog, plus CSNChicago.com brings back CubsTalk, a high-frequency page covering all Cubs news, rumors, trades, etc., which will include contributions from Mooney, Kaplan, Stuckmeyer, Hollandsworth and Andracki as they lend their knowledge and expertise to the latest happenings in the NL Central Division, as well as league-wide.

For the sixth-straight season, Comcast SportsNet will produce every Cubs regular season home and road game in a high-definition (HD) format.  HD games can be found on Comcast Cable channel 200 (channel 285 for CSN+ HD telecasts), RCN channel 685 , WOW channel 220, AT&T U-verse channel 1741, Mediacom channel 729, Dish Network channel 429 and DIRECTV HD channel 665-1 (channel 666-1 for CSN+ HD telecasts).  Viewers who do not own an HDTV will still be able to watch all White Sox games in the standard analog format on Comcast Cable channel 37, DIRECTV channel 665 and DISH Network channel 429 among others.  Viewers can visit CSNChicago.com for the exact standard and HD channel locations in their area.

Before a number of Cubs games on Comcast SportsNet (including all weekend telecasts), fans can tune to Papa John’s Cubs Pre-Game Live featuring a half-hour of pre-game analysis, interviews and the very latest Cubs news (NOTE: for weeknight 7:00 PM game start times or earlier, pre-game coverage can be found SportsTalk Live presented by Smirnoff or SportsNet Central presented by AT&T U-Verse).  Following the majority of all games, viewers can look forward to the most comprehensive post-game wrap-up show on Cubs Post Game Live featuring live coverage of Cubs manager Dale Sveum’s post-game press conferences and live locker room interviews with Cubs players.  Following primetime editions of Cubs Post Game Live, Comcast SportsNet will air GMC SportsNet Central with the most complete recap of the day’s top local and national sports news.

Eight regular season Cubs games are currently scheduled to be telecast on Comcast SportsNet Plus (see attached schedule).  Comcast SportsNet Plus (CSN+) telecasts are provided to Comcast SportsNet affiliates and distributed to viewers when two live events are scheduled simultaneously.  Comcast Cable and RCN subscribers can watch all CSN+ games on CLTV.  Cable and satellite operators who do not carry CLTV will place CSN+ telecasts on a to-be-determined channel.  Viewers can visit CSNChicago.com for the exact channel location of Comcast SportsNet, CSN+, Comcast SportsNet HD and CSN+ HD telecasts in their area.

Viewers can visit CSNChicago.com for more extensive information on the 2013 Chicago Cubs, including web exclusive features and “Insider” reports, talent blogs, game previews/recaps, stats, standings and more.

 

Comcast SportsNet

2013 Chicago Cubs Schedule

 

Spring Training Schedule: (every game available in HD)

 

  1. Mon, Mar 25                3:00 pm           vs. San Francisco     (Mesa)         (replay at 12:30am)
  2. Thurs, Mar 28              2:00 pm           vs. Seattle                 (Mesa)         (replay at 7pm)

 

Regular Season: (every game available in HD)

 

  1. Wed, Apr 3               6:00 pm           @ Pittsburgh                  (CSN CUBS SEASON OPENER!)
  2. Fri, Apr 5                  6:30 pm           @ Atlanta                       CSN+
  3. Sun, Apr 7                12:30 pm         @ Atlanta
  4. Wed, Apr 10             7:00 pm           vs. Milwaukee                CSN+/(CSN CUBS HOME OPENER!)
  5. Thu, Apr 11              1:20 pm           vs. San Francisco
  6. Fri, Apr 12                1:20 pm           vs. San Francisco
  7. Tue, Apr 16              7:00 pm           vs. Texas
  8. Sat, Apr 20               6:00 pm           @ Milwaukee
  9. Sun, Apr 21              1:00 pm           @ Milwaukee
  10. Mon, Apr 22          6:00 pm           @ Cincinnati
  11. Wed, Apr 24          11:30 am         @ Cincinnati
  12. Sat, Apr 27            6:00 pm           @ Miami                            CSN+
  13. Sun, Apr 28           12:00 pm         @ Miami
  14. Mon, Apr 29          7:00 pm           vs. San Diego
  15. Wed, May 1           7:00 pm           vs. San Diego
  16. Thu, May 2            1:20 pm           vs. San Diego
  17. Fri, May 3              1:20 pm           vs. Cincinnati
  18. Sat, May 4             12:00 pm         vs. Cincinnati
  19. Wed, May 8           1:20 pm           vs. St. Louis
  20. Sat, May 11           3:00 pm           @ Washington
  21. Tue, May 14          7:00 pm           vs. Colorado
  22. Wed, May 15         7:00 pm           vs. Colorado
  23. Sat, May 18           12:00 pm         vs. NY Mets
  24. Tue, May 21          6:00 pm           @ Pittsburgh
  25. Thu, May 23          11:30 am         @ Pittsburgh
  26. Sun, May 26          12:00 pm         @ Cincinnati
  27. Mon, May 27         6:00 pm           @ White Sox
  28. Wed, May 29         1:20 pm           vs. White Sox
  29. Fri, May 31            1:20 pm           vs. Arizona
  30. Wed, June 5          6:00 pm           @ LA Angels
  31. Sat, June 8            3:00 pm           vs. Pittsburgh
  32. Mon, June 10        7:00 pm           vs. Cincinnati
  33. Wed, June 12        1:20 pm           vs. Cincinnati
  34. Thu, June 13         1:20 pm           vs. Cincinnati
  35. Fri, June 14           6:00 pm           @ NY Mets
  36. Sat, June 15          12:00 pm         @ NY Mets
  37. Tue, June 18         7:00 pm           @ St. Louis
  38. Wed, June 19        7:00 pm           @ St. Louis
  39. Fri, June 21           TBA                 vs. Houston
  40. Sun, June 23         1:20 pm           vs. Houston
  41. Tue, June 25         7:00 pm           @ Milwaukee
  42. Thu, June 27         1:00 pm           @ Milwaukee
  43. Sun, June 30         3:00 pm           @ Seattle
  44. Tue, July 2            9:00 pm           @ Oakland
  45. Wed, July 3           9:00 pm           @ Oakland                        CSN+
  46. Fri, July 5              TBA                 vs. Pittsburgh
  47. Tue, July 9            7:00 pm           vs. LA Angels
  48. Thu, July 11          7:00 pm           vs. St. Louis
  49. Sun, July 21          3:00 pm           @ Colorado
  50. Mon, July 22          8:30 pm           @ Arizona
  51. Wed, July 24         8:30 pm           @ Arizona                         CSN+
  52. Sat, July 27           8:00 pm           @ San Francisco
  53. Mon, July 29          7:00 pm           vs. Milwaukee
  54. Tue, July 30          7:00 pm           vs. Milwaukee
  55. Thu, Aug 1            7:00 pm           vs. LA Dodgers
  56. Tue, Aug 6            6:00 pm           @ Philadelphia
  57. Thu, Aug 8            12:00 pm         @ Philadelphia
  58. Mon, Aug 12          7:00 pm           vs. Cincinnati                    CSN+
  59. Tue, Aug 13          7:00 pm           vs. Cincinnati
  60. Fri, Aug 16            TBA                 vs. St. Louis
  61. Sat, Aug 17           12:00 pm         vs. St. Louis
  62. Mon, Aug 19          7:00 pm           vs. Washington
  63. Tue, Aug 20          7:00 pm           vs. Washington
  64. Fri, Aug 23            9:00 pm           @ San Diego
  65. Mon, Aug 26          9:00 pm           @ LA Dodgers
  66. Wed, Aug 28         2:00 pm           @ LA Dodgers
  67. Sat, Aug 31           3:00 pm           vs. Philadelphia
  68. Tue, Sept 3           7:00 pm           vs. Miami
  69. Wed, Sept 4          1:20 pm           vs. Miami
  70. Mon, Sept 9           6:00 pm           @ Cincinnati                     CSN+
  71. Tue, Sept 10         6:00 pm           @ Cincinnati
  72. Fri, Sept 13           6:00 pm           @ Pittsburgh
  73. Sat, Sept 14          6:00 pm           @ Pittsburgh
  74. Tue, Sept 17         7:00 pm           @ Milwaukee                     CSN+
  75. Wed, Sept 18        7:00 pm           @ Milwaukee
  76. Fri, Sept 20           1:20 pm           vs. Atlanta
  77. Mon, Sept 23         7:00 pm           vs. Pittsburgh
  78. Tue, Sept 24         7:00 pm           vs. Pittsburgh
  79. Fri, Sept 27           7:00 pm           @ St. Louis
  80. Sun, Sept 29         1:15 pm           @ St. Louis

 

2 Spring Training Games, 80 Regular Season Games

Regular season games – 39 home, 41 away

Total: 82 games

 

Schedule Subject to Change

All Times Central Time

 

CSN+ telecasts may be found on CLTV or visit www.CSNChicago.com for exact channel location in your area.  All home and road games will be telecast in HDTV.  All HDTV games can be found on Comcast Cable channel 200 (channel 285 for CSN+ telecasts), RCN channel 685, WOW channel 220, Dish Network channel 429 and DIRECTV HD channel 665-1.

 Viewers can visit www.CSNChicago.com for more extensive information on the 2013 Cubs, including web exclusive features and “Insider” reports, talent blogs, game previews/recaps, stats, standings and more.

NBC Sports Regional Networks, part of the NBC Sports Group, consists of 13 local networks that deliver more than 2,400 sporting events annually, along with breaking news and comprehensive analysis, to more than 50 million cable and satellite homes.  The NBC Sports Regional Networks are: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Comcast SportsNet California, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Comcast SportsNet Houston, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, Comcast SportsNet New England, Comcast SportsNet Northwest, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, CSS and SNY.  NBC Sports Regional Networks also manages NECN (New England Cable News), the nation’s largest regional news network, and The Comcast Network, based in Philadelphia and Washington, which delivers community-oriented programming.  For more information, visit CSNChicago.com or ComcastSportNet.com.  For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com.