The Chicago Cubs and WGN Chicago announced a five-year agreement in which Tribune’s station will televise 45 games a year, starting this season. Specific terms of the agreement were not released.
"Cubs fans have grown accustomed to watching Cubs baseball on WGN since 1948, so we are pleased to continue this longstanding tradition through our new broadcast agreement," said Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney. "We are very excited to begin a new chapter of Cubs baseball with WGN and welcome Jim Deshaies and Len Kasper, two of the best broadcasters in the business, as teammates in our organization."
Deshaies and Kasper become employees of the Cubs after previously being employed by WGN.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs had opted out of an agreement with WGN in 2013, potentially putting about 70 TV games beginning next season in play.
"We're pleased to enter into this new agreement, which continues our longstanding, historic partnership with the Cubs and we're looking forward to some great baseball," said Larry Wert, president of broadcast media at Tribune Media. "We believe in the Cubs and [team owners] the Ricketts family, and we look forward to growing the fan base even further for both the Cubs and WGN-TV."
