(CHICAGO) – The 2002 Chicago Cubs, led by All-Star super slugger Sammy Sosa (64 HR and 160 RBI in ’01), north side newcomer Moises Alou, veteran standout Fred McGriff and star pitchers Jon Lieber (20-game winner in ’01) and Kerry Wood, are set to begin another exciting season of Cubs baseball on Fox Sports Net. This season, fans can look forward to 74 Cubs telecasts (two spring training and 72 regular season), featuring eight division battles versus the defending NL Central champion Houston Astros, six against the St. Louis Cardinals and nine against the Cincinnati Reds.
The first of 72 regular season Cubs games gets underway with the season opener on Monday, April 1 at 1:00 PM when the Cubs and manager Don Baylor visit Ken Griffey, Jr. and the Cincinnati Reds. The Cubs-Reds game will be preceded by an expanded edition of the Dodge of Midlothian Chicago Sports Today Cubs pre-game show beginning at 12 noon. The season opener will be immediately followed by the half-hour Fifth Third Bank Chicago Sports Today post-game show, which will follow the majority of Cubs games on FSN.
Prior to the start of the regular season, Fox Sports Net will bring Cubs fans two spring training games from Arizona starting off with a match-up against the American League’s Anaheim Angels on Sunday, March 10 at 2:00 PM. Plus, FSN will carry an exciting cross-town match-up against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday, March 28 at 2:00 PM (The Dodge of Midlothian Chicago Sports Today pre-game show starts at 1:30 PM for both telecasts).
Chicago Cubs play-by-play announcer Chip Caray and color analyst Dave Otto return for their second season behind the microphone for Fox Sports Net. FSN’s pre/post-game studio tandem throughout the season features host Eric Goodman, along with former Cub pitcher Mike Bielecki.
Also, before the regular season starts up, Fox Sports Net will give Cubs fans an inside look at this year’s team with the 2002 Cubs Season Preview Special premiering Saturday, March 23 at 3:00 PM. This one-hour preview of the 2002 season includes profiles on players, analysis of off-season changes, spring training developments and interviews with a number of Cubs players and manager Don Baylor. This special will also be repeated on March 27 (7:00 PM), March 28 (12:30 PM) and March 31 (12:30 PM).
“As we enter our fourth season of covering the Cubs, we’re committed to giving die-hard Cubs fans the exciting coverage they’d expect from our network,” said James J. Corno, Fox Sports Net Chicago’s Senior Vice President/General Manager. “From Chip and Dave in the announcing booth to our expert pre and post-game coverage, fans can look forward to another great season of Cubs baseball on Fox Sports Net.”
Cubs fans will be treated to the very best match-ups on this year’s schedule, including an interleague match-up against the Chicago White Sox on Friday, June 14 at 2:20 PM from Wrigley Field (an expanded edition of Live from Wrigley begins at 1:30 PM). Plus, as part of the White Sox season schedule on FSN, fans will also be able to watch an additional Cubs-White Sox regular season battle on Friday, June 28 at 1:00 PM (Chicago Sports Today starts at 12 noon).
This summer’s Cubs schedule on Fox Sports Net will encompass 35 home games and 37 road contests during the regular season. Highlights include 41 big match-ups against teams in the National League Central Division with eight games against the Houston Astros (May 24 & 31, June 1 & 11, August 13-14 & 21-22) and six against the rival St. Louis Cardinals (May 7 & 15, June 21, August 30, September 1 & 7). Plus, FSN will carry a pair of games against World Series Champion Arizona Diamondbacks (August 16 & 23) and three battles versus Mo Vaughn, Roberto Alomar and the New York Mets (April 9 & 11, September 18).
Additional highlights include 38 night games, 34 day contests, plus – Fox Sports Net will provide Cubs fans with a number of games against the NL’s elite including the Atlanta Braves (July 5, 7 & 16) and more interleague match-ups against the American League’s Seattle Mariners (June 7) and Texas Rangers (June 20).
Nine regular season games are currently scheduled to be telecast on Fox Sports Net Plus (see attached schedule). Fox Sports Net Plus (FSN+) telecasts are provided to Fox Sports Net affiliates and distributed to viewers when two live events are scheduled simultaneously. Through a cooperative agreement with CLTV, inner market cable operators are given the opportunity to place FSN+ games on CLTV. Cable operators who do not carry CLTV will place FSN+ telecasts on a to-be-determined channel.
Fox Sports Net Chicago reaches more than 3.7 million households in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin. Fox Sports Net Chicago is managed by Rainbow Sports Networks, a division of Cablevision’s Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. Fox Sports Net Chicago’s programming includes Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs baseball, Chicago Bulls basketball and Chicago Blackhawks hockey, along with select NASCAR and PGA Tour coverage.
Fox Sports Net reaches more than 78 million households nationwide and is a service of National Sports Partners, equally owned by Cablevision’s Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. and Fox Entertainment Group. Rainbow Sports Networks incorporates Rainbow’s 50% ownership of Fox Sports Net and Fox Sports National Advertising and the ownership and management of Fox Sports Net regional networks in five of the nation’s largest markets: Chicago, Florida, Ohio, New England and San Francisco.
2002 Chicago Cubs Schedule
Spring Training Schedule
| 1. Sun, March 10
| @ Anaheim Angels
| 2:00 pm
| 2. Thu, March 28
| @ Chicago White Sox
| 2:00 pm
| Regular Season
| 1. Mon, April 1
| @ Cincinnati
| 1:00 pm
| 2. Wed, April 3
| @ Cincinnati
| 6:00 pm
| 3. Sat, April 6
| vs Pittsburgh
| 1:20 pm
| 4. Tue, April 9
| vs New York
| 1:20 pm
| 5. Thu, April 11
| vs New York
| 1:20 pm
| 6. Sat, April 13
| @ Pittsburgh
| 12:30 pm
| 7. Mon, April 15
| @ Montreal
| 6:00 pm
| FSN+
| 8. Tue, April 16
| @ Montreal
| 6:00 pm
| 9. Wed, April 17
| @ Montreal
| 6:00 pm
| FSN+
| 10. Sat, April 20
| vs Cincinnati
| 1:20 pm
| 11. Wed, April 24
| vs San Francisco
| 7:00 pm
| 12. Fri, April 26
| vs Los Angeles
| 2:20 pm
| 13. Sat, April 27
| vs Los Angeles
| 1:20 pm
| 14. Tue, April 30
| @ San Diego
| 9:00 pm
| 15. Wed, May 1
| @ San Diego
| 9:00 pm
| FSN+
| 16. Tue, May 7
| vs St. Louis
| 7:00 pm
| 17. Fri, May 10
| vs Milwaukee
| 2:20 pm
| 18. Sat, May 11
| vs Milwaukee
| 1:20 pm
| 19. Wed, May 15
| @ St. Louis
| 7:00 pm
| 20. Sat, May 18
| @ Milwaukee
| 6:00 pm
| 21. Tue, May 21
| vs Pittsburgh
| 7:00 pm
| 22. Wed, May 22
| vs Pittsburgh
| 7:00 pm
| FSN+
| 23. Fri, May 24
| @ Houston
| 7:00 pm
| 24. Tue, May 28
| @ Pittsburgh
| 6:00 pm
| 25. Wed, May 29
| @ Pittsburgh
| 6:00 pm
| FSN+
| 26. Thu, May 30
| @ Pittsburgh
| 11:30 am
| 27. Fri, May 31
| vs Houston
| 2:20 pm
| 28. Sat, June 1
| vs Houston
| 3:00 pm
| 29. Mon, June 3
| @ Milwaukee
| 7:00 pm
| 30. Wed, June 5
| @ Milwaukee
| 7:00 pm
| 31. Fri, June 7
| @ Seattle (IL)
| 9:00 pm
| 32. Tue, June 11
| @ Houston
| 7:00 pm
| 33. Fri, June 14
| vs WHITE SOX (IL)
| 2:20 pm
| 34. Thu, June 20
| vs Texas (IL)
| 1:20 pm
| 35. Fri, June 21
| vs St. Louis
| 2:20 pm
| 36. Tue, June 25
| vs Cincinnati
| 1:20 pm
| 37. Wed, June 26
| vs Cincinnati
| 1:20 pm
| 38. Mon, July 1
| @ Florida
| 6:00 pm
| 39. Tue, July 2
| @ Florida
| 6:00 pm
| 40. Wed, July 3
| @ Florida
| 6:00 pm
| FSN+
| 41. Fri, July 5
| @ Atlanta
| 6:30 pm
| 42. Sun, July 7
| @ Atlanta
| 12:00 pm
| 43. Fri, July 12
| vs Florida
| 2:20 pm
| 44. Tue, July 16
| vs Atlanta
| 1:20 pm
| 45. Wed, July 17
| @ Philadelphia
| 6:00 pm
| 46. Mon, July 22
| vs Philadelphia
| 1:20 pm
| 47. Tue, July 23
| vs Philadelphia
| 1:20 pm
| 48. Wed, July 31
| vs San Diego
| 1:20 pm
| 49. Sat, August 3
| vs Colorado
| 3:00 pm
| 50. Wed, August 7
| @ San Francisco
| 9:15 pm
| FSN+
| 51. Fri, August 9
| @ Colorado
| 8:00 pm
| 52. Tue, August 13
| vs Houston
| 1:20 pm
| 53. Wed, August 14
| vs Houston
| 1:20 pm
| 54. Fri, August 16
| vs Arizona
| 2:20 pm
| 55. Wed, August 21
| @ Houston
| 7:00 pm
| 56. Thu, August 22
| @ Houston
| 7:00 pm
| 57. Sun, August 25
| @ Arizona
| 3:30 pm
| 58. Tue, August 27
| @ Milwaukee
| 7:00 pm
| 59. Wed, August 28
| @ Milwaukee
| 7:00 pm
| 60. Fri, August 30
| vs St. Louis
| 2:20 pm
| 61. Sun, Sept. 1
| vs St. Louis
| 1:20 pm
| 62. Tue, Sept. 3
| vs Milwaukee
| 7:00 pm
| 63. Sat, Sept. 7
| @ St. Louis
| 7:00 pm
| 64. Mon, Sept. 9
| vs Montreal
| 7:00 pm
| FSN+
| 65. Thu, Sept. 12
| @ Cincinnati
| 6:00 pm
| 66. Fri, Sept. 13
| @ Cincinnati
| 6:00 pm
| 67. Wed, Sept. 18
| @ New York
| 6:00 pm
| 68. Fri, Sept. 20
| @ Pittsburgh
| 6:00 pm
| 69. Sun, Sept. 22
| @ Pittsburgh
| 12:30 pm
| 70. Wed, Sept. 25
| vs Cincinnati
| 7:00 pm
| FSN+
| 71. Thu, Sept. 26
| vs Cincinnati
| 1:20 pm
| 72. Sat, Sept. 28
| vs Pittsburgh
| 3:00 pm | | ||||||
Regular season games – 35 home, 37 away
Total 74 games
All Times Central Time
Schedule Subject to Change