The White Sox open their spring training schedule today with two games, both of which can be viewed by those in the Chicagoland market, those with MLB.tv subscriptions, and those who know ways around both. It's a split-squad day against the Cubs, so NBC Sports Chicago will carry the game at Camelback Ranch, while Marquee is covering the action in Mesa.
If only every day were blanketed this way.
Thanks to the late start to the season, the White Sox are dropping the webcasts, instead opting to broadcast six of their nine home dates on NBC Sports Chicago. It pales in comparison to Marquee, which is covering 17 of 21 Cubs games this spring, although I suppose it has a greater need for content.
Still, two-thirds of home games on TV represents an improvement over most years for those wanting HD-worthy broadcasts. If every Arizona-training team aired most of their home games, those with MLB. tv subscriptions might be comprehensively covered. Instead, there are some dead zones on the Sox's Cactus League schedule, especially in the first half.
It picks up toward the end in that regard, as six of the Sox's last seven spring games will be on MLB.tv. Here's an updated schedule:
Date | Time | Vs. | TV | Radio | MLBTV |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
March 17 | 3:05 p.m. 3:05 p.m. | CHC @CHC | NBCS MARQ | x | x x |
March 18 | Off | ||||
March 19 | 3:05 p.m. | CLE | x | ||
March 20 | 3:10 p.m. | @COL | |||
March 21 | 3:05 p.m. | LAD | NBCS | x | |
March 22 | 3:10 p.m. | @MIL | x | ||
March 23 | 3:05 p.m. | @TEX | |||
March 24 | 3:05 p.m. | SFG | |||
March 25 | 8:40 p.m. | @SEA | |||
March 26 | 3:05 p.m. | LAA | NBCS | x | x |
March 27 | 3:05 p.m. | @LAD | x | ||
March 28 | 3:05 p.m. | SDP | |||
March 29 | Off | ||||
March 30 | 3:05 p.m. | TEX | NBCS | x | x |
March 31 | 8:05 p.m. | @CIN | |||
April 1 | 3:05 p.m. | OAK | NBCS | x | x |
April 2 | 8:10 p.m. | @AZ | x | ||
April 3 | 3:05 p.m. | COL | NBCS | x | x |
April 4 | 3:05 p.m. | @CHC | MARQ | x | |
April 5 | 2:10 p.m. | @SDP | x |
MLB Network has yet to post its complete spring training schedule, but the only Sox appearances early on are today's games.