Marquee Sports Network today announced expanded coverage of the Cubs minor league system, including live game broadcasts presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. Highlights of the upcoming coverage include:

• Marquee to broadcast 12 Cubs minor league contests beginning Thursday, August 19, including games from each of the Cubs full-season minor league affiliates: Triple-A Iowa (three games), Double-A Tennessee (four), High Single-A South Bend (three) and Low Single-A Myrtle Beach (two).
• Including Cubs games, Marquee will air 32 live baseball games in the 24-day span from August 19-September 11, including at least one game on 23 of the 24 days, and two games on nine occasions.
• All told, the network will air 54 live baseball games in the next 49 days, concluding with the Cubs regular season finale, October 3.

Additionally, Elise Menaker will serve as Marquee Sports Network’s lead minor league reporter, contributing to Cubs pregame and in-game broadcasts with storylines and interviews from the Cubs minor league system, while serving as game analyst on select Iowa Cubs games alongside play-by-play broadcaster Alex Cohen. Former Cubs great Jody Davis joins play-by-play announcer Mick Gillispie on the Tennessee broadcasts. Broadcast teams for each affiliate are on page two.

Including 14 minor league games (12 Iowa games and two Myrtle Beach games) that have already aired this season, Marquee Sports Network will air a total of 26 minor league games in its first season on the air with a minor league schedule.

“We’re thrilled to be able to showcase the entire Cubs minor league system on our network, bringing Cubs fans an unprecedented level of access to their favorite team,” said Marquee Sports Network General Manager, Mike McCarthy. “This was something that has been a priority since we started the network, and we’re eager to continue these partnerships in the years to come. Special thanks to Programming Director Allison Bertucci for her diligent work in securing these broadcasts.”

The full minor league broadcast schedule is below.

Date Time (CT) Team Opponent
Thu., Aug. 19 6:00 p.m. South Bend (High-A) Quad Cities
Fri., Aug. 20 6:00 p.m. Tennessee (AA) Birmingham
Sat., Aug. 21 8:00 p.m.^ Tennessee (AA) Birmingham
Sun., Aug. 22 5:00 p.m.^ South Bend (High-A) Quad Cities
Wed., Aug. 25 6:00 p.m. Myrtle Beach (Low-A) Columbia
Thu., Aug. 26 7:00 p.m. Iowa (AAA) Omaha
Fri., Sept. 3 6:00 p.m. Myrtle Beach (Low-A) Lynchburg
Sun., Sept. 5 6:00 p.m. South Bend (High-A) Lake County
Wed., Sept. 8 12:00 p.m. Iowa (AAA) Toledo
Thu., Sept. 9 7:00 p.m. Iowa (AAA) Toledo
Fri., Sept. 10 6:00 p.m. Tennessee (AA) Chattanooga
Sat., Sept. 11 6:00 p.m. Tennessee (AA) Chattanooga

^Tape-delayed broadcast