WGN home of the Chicago Cubs

WGN TV Sports

WGN is the longtime home of the Chicago Cubs, and WGNTV is one of the main reasons that the Cubbies enjoy the national fandom and celebrity that they do. The network has been broadcasting the Cubs for over 60 years, and unlike most teams who only enjoy coverage in their own market, the Cubs have had a national presence for decades thanks to WGN being syndicated all across the country.

 

WGN America, formerly known as Superstation WGN, is the national station that broadcasts the Cubs nationwide from the local broadcast and coverage itself. WGN actually stands for the World's Greatest Newspaper, and is owned by the Chicago Tribune. The Tribune also owns WGN Radio, which is 720 am.

 

The television channel WGNTV is available in cable packages in every city and area in the United States, giving the Cubs a level of exposure that few other teams enjoy. While it's easy to follow all teams with the modern TV packages and Internet coverage, in the past, only through an outlet like this could a team be watched from any market. It allowed Cubs fans based in New York, Los Angeles, or anywhere else to tune in every night to watch their beloved team, and it also helped to bring in many new fans who were able to watch their games all throughout the season as well.

 

There are many reasons why the Cubs are one of the most popular franchises in baseball. They have a long and storied history, and with their championship drought, they have of course become the lovable losers. With historic Wrigley Field, all of the games are fun to watch and take part in, and with 100 years without winning a title, fans are naturally drawn into the spectacle. But without WGN and WGNTV, the popularity and widespread nature of the Cubs franchise would not be near what it is today.

 

Harry Carray 7th Inning

Jack Brickhouse

As the home of the Chicago Cubs, WGN has enjoyed bringing in some of the very best and most renowned announcers and play-by-play men of all time. This includes of course the very famous Jack Brickhouse, who called games for the Cubs for over 30 years from 1948 until 1981, and Harry Caray, who had a controversial, fun and chaotic tenure calling Cubs games and bringing life into the organization and into the fan base.

 

Len and Bob

Now, the announcing team for WGN consists of Len Kasper and Bob Brenly. They have more than big shoes to fill, but do an excellent job and carry on the tradition of the Cubs and the entire organization. Kasper has been the play-by-play man since 2005 after previously having worked with the Milwaukee Brewers and Florida Marlins. He took over the role from Chip Caray, Harry's grandson and son to Skip Caray.

 

Brenley is now the color commentator alongside Kasper. He also took over his position in 2005, and therefore has been a consistent team with Kasper since they both began. He took over the position from Steve Stone. Brenley played 9 seasons in the major leagues, and even more notably, was manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks for four years. In this first year with the club the Diamondbacks won the World Series of the New York Yankees.

 

Len Kasper
Bob Brenley

Together Kasper and Brenley are the new voices of the Cubs, and with the syndicated, nationwide coverage thanks to WGNTV all across the country, they are the voice for a new generation of fans spread from coast to coast. The Cubs franchise has had many things working in its favor throughout the years, from Wrigley Field and their storied tradition on down, but few things have imparted the impact that WGN has provided, thanks to the huge audience and great exposure it has given the franchise. Therefore, WGNTV and radio is just as much a piece of the Cubs franchise and legacy as anything else, and for many people, WGN is synonymous with the Chicago Cubs and with baseball.

 

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