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How you can watch Cubs game tonight if you don't have cable

Want to watch the Chicago Cubs game on TV in the National League division series?

One way or another, you have to pay.

Just like last year, the games are not available on free TV, thwarting the growing legion of cable-cutters among us.

Your choices:

1. Sign up for pay television services, often delivered to your house via wires, such as satellite television or cable service. But that is going to take a couple of days to set up.

2. Get a smart TV (one that is internet enabled) and subscribe to a streaming service such as Sling.com that carries the channels that have the games.

3. Go to a sports bar.

4. Visit friends who have pay TV. Bring nacho dip or a six-pack of soda.

Saturday's game is on MLB Network. Then the rest of the series will be broadcast on FS1 channel, an entity of the Fox broadcasting empire.

A customer-service representative for Sling TV, which offers FS1 in its $25.99-a-month Blue package, said Friday's game will be available live in the Chicago area with no blackout. A representative of FS1 did not return messages requesting confirmation of this.

Even if you run out and get a smart TV, be aware that not all brands offer built-in access to all apps. Vizio TVs use the Yahoo app store, which does not carry the Sling app. So to use Sling, you would have to get a streaming-media device such as those from Roku, Google Chromecast, Apple TV and the Amazon Fire TV Stick.

If you have cable

Those who have pay TV through most major providers will be able to see the MLB Network broadcast live Saturday (7 p.m.), because it is offering a free preview of the usually premium channel Oct. 5-11.

Unless you subscribe to WOW (Wide Open West) internet and television. It doesn't offer MLB Network.

“Unfortunately, MLB NETWORK is not available on WOW, but you can help! Contact them by email, Facebook or Twitter and urge them to add MLB NETWORK to your channel lineup,” states a message on MLB.com's website.

Times for the third (and fourth and fifth games, if needed) would be played Oct. 10, 11 and 13, according to Major League Baseball's website.

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