MASN is dead

[imref]

TN posted that they didn’t think that we sign with Monumental. We’ll see. TN isn’t the most reliable source.

[Slateman]

TN posted that they didn’t think that we sign with Monumental. We’ll see. TN isn’t the most reliable source.

I mean, what are the options here.

1. Sign back with MASN
2. Sign with Monumental
3. Start your own network?

MASN is probably lowballing, hedging against the Lerners wanting to avoid Leonisis and Monumental due to their desire to sell at a higher number than previously discussed. And if they're cheap now, they aren't going to fork over the start up costs for a new network.

[nfotiu]

I mean, what are the options here.

1. Sign back with MASN
2. Sign with Monumental
3. Start your own network?

MASN is probably lowballing, hedging against the Lerners wanting to avoid Leonisis and Monumental due to their desire to sell at a higher number than previously discussed. And if they're cheap now, they aren't going to fork over the start up costs for a new network.

I don't know that MASN has much leverage to lowball.   It's probably in both the O's and Nats best interest to just split the MASN revenue 50/50ish until 2029.   

MASN carriage fee revenue should still be in the 100-120 million range, but declining.   There is no way Monumental would offer anything near 40-50 million.   They would probably be in the 25 million range at most, and even then I think Leonsis has wised up to the fact that they would struggle to negotiate carriage fee increases to even cover that amount in the current environment.   Monthly app subscriber fees are just a drop in the bucket.

Starting their own network is a non-starter right now. 

Going with MLB on their ESPN thing would be the only other option and it seems like that is where everyone is going to be in 2029.     That would pay less in the short term than MASN would.

The holdup may be waiting for a resolution on the Fan Duel RSN mess.   
https://awfulannouncing.com/dazn/fanduel-sports-networks-deal-include-reduced-rights-fees.html
https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/12/31/with-main-street-on-the-brink-teams-await-dazn-plan/

I don't think the MLB teams are going to go forward with reduced fees.   If they shutter, or at least shutter from the MLB side, then half the MLB teams will be without RSNs, and MLB may try to accelerate some kind of bundling of local TV rights that may be more attractive to the Nats.

[imref]

another possible option:
https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/12/31/with-main-street-on-the-brink-teams-await-dazn-plan/

DAZN is acquiring Main Street Sports Group which owns the TV rights to a bunch of sports teams.

[nfotiu]

another possible option:
https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/12/31/with-main-street-on-the-brink-teams-await-dazn-plan/

DAZN is acquiring Main Street Sports Group which owns the TV rights to a bunch of sports teams.

That's what I was touching on in my post.   Main Street/Fan Duel is hoping DAZN bails out the Fan Duel RSNs that currently host 9 mlb teams.   DAZN is asking the teams to accept lower rights fees than are in their current contract as a condition.

I don't think the MLB teams will go for that.  At least Manfred will be pushing hard for them to reject it.   Manfred doesn't want DAZN back dooring a deal to streaming rights for a bunch of teams, and wants to push packaging rights and putting them out for bid.

This still could affect the Nats decision though.   It seems fairly likely that the FD RSNs will dissolve or at least dissolve their contracts with the MLB teams and 9 more teams will be without RSNs by the end of January.  That would bring the total to 15 that would likely have their local games on the ESPN app.   If that happens, the Nats would probably want to at least kick the tires of that deal to see what it looks like before committing to MASN.

[PowerBoater69]

No MASN and no Monumental.

https://www.talknats.com/2026/01/02/breaking-nats-broadcasting-rights-in-2026-will-not-be-controlled-by-masn-or-monumental/

[Smithian]

No MASN and no Monumental.

https://www.talknats.com/2026/01/02/breaking-nats-broadcasting-rights-in-2026-will-not-be-controlled-by-masn-or-monumental/

Very surprised by no Monumental and that no extension was struck with MASN. It's not easy to spin up TV infrastructure over night.

[nfotiu]

Very surprised by no Monumental and that no extension was struck with MASN. It's not easy to spin up TV infrastructure over night.

RSNs are effectively dead.   They won't be starting their own RSN.  I am surprised that they didn't take the MASN money for a couple more years, but I guess they are just ripping the band aid off.

From that article, it sounds like they are going the route of hiring a company to produce games, stream them locally via ESPN and likely make a handful of games available on OTA networks mostly for exposure purposes. 

[Natsinpwc]

They’re going to use ticker tape and have an announcer read the plays based on results wired in. AI announcers.

[Slateman]

They’re going to use ticker tape and have an announcer read the plays based on results wired in. AI announcers.

I mean, we're all listening to C&D so what does it matter anyway?

[PowerBoater69]

Sure would be nice to have an over the air broadcast.

[PowerBoater69]

Well, MASN is like a horror movie that just won't die. The Post is disputing the Talk Nats reports.

@andrewcgolden
Wanted to provide clarity re: MASN contract. The Nationals’ contract with MASN expires at the end of February, both the Nats/O’s confirm to @chelsea_janes and me.

None of this is to say the Nats won’t opt to go in a different direction with their TV rights. But still with MASN.

[nobleisthyname]

Really hope they don't remove the streaming without cable option they finally gave us last season.

[PowerBoater69]

@chelsea_janes 10:54 AM · Jan 2, 2026

Just to add what I can to the MASN discourse, Nats can always choose to have MLB handle production and distribution of games, as league does for San Diego/AZ/etc. My understanding is that in that case Nats receive whatever revenue they get from any cable deals and streaming subs.

If someone (like MASN or say, another network) wants to buy the rights, then that network would commit to a price and handle distribution and steaming as MASN has in recent years. Currently unclear how many suitors there are for these rights and how big a bid someone might make

But would not expect it to be a massive number from a bidder. Main advantage to that route vs MLB would be up-front cost certainty, from what I can tell.
Chelsea Janes

Final reminder: Team usually has final say for on-air personnel in conjunction with/regardless of broadcast partner. Nats obviously have uncertainty on the on-air talent front entering 2026, too. So stay tuned.

[Slateman]

I don't know that MASN has much leverage to lowball.   It's probably in both the O's and Nats best interest to just split the MASN revenue 50/50ish until 2029.   

MASN carriage fee revenue should still be in the 100-120 million range, but declining.   There is no way Monumental would offer anything near 40-50 million.   They would probably be in the 25 million range at most, and even then I think Leonsis has wised up to the fact that they would struggle to negotiate carriage fee increases to even cover that amount in the current environment.   Monthly app subscriber fees are just a drop in the bucket.

Starting their own network is a non-starter right now. 

Going with MLB on their ESPN thing would be the only other option and it seems like that is where everyone is going to be in 2029.     That would pay less in the short term than MASN would.

The holdup may be waiting for a resolution on the Fan Duel RSN mess.   
https://awfulannouncing.com/dazn/fanduel-sports-networks-deal-include-reduced-rights-fees.html
https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/12/31/with-main-street-on-the-brink-teams-await-dazn-plan/

I don't think the MLB teams are going to go forward with reduced fees.   If they shutter, or at least shutter from the MLB side, then half the MLB teams will be without RSNs, and MLB may try to accelerate some kind of bundling of local TV rights that may be more attractive to the Nats.

Don't think a streamer service would offer much more than MASN or Monumental. I think ownership is going to be real disappointed in the TV revenue. They'll long for the days when MASN paid 60 million with promises of more.

[imref]

Does anyone know what the nationals ratings and MASN's current reach are these days? I can't imagine more than 10k people on average tune into a game. And with cord cutting, MASN can't have all that deep of a reach anymore.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

So, basically, they're going to get about the same amount of money from Monumental, but keep the same staffing.

I think Manfred would like to get them to be part of the MLB streaming package.

[Slateman]

Maybe we should offer to crowdsource home game broadcasts? We can show up and livestream off our phones.

[Slateman]

I think Manfred would like to get them to be part of the MLB streaming package.

Is there still local blackouts?

[imref]

https://www.talknats.com/2026/01/02/breaking-nats-broadcasting-rights-in-2026-will-not-be-controlled-by-masn-or-monumental/

They say that the Nats will be signing with a new entity.

[nfotiu]

Does anyone know what the nationals ratings and MASN's current reach are these days? I can't imagine more than 10k people on average tune into a game. And with cord cutting, MASN can't have all that deep of a reach anymore.

Nationals ratings when they are doing well are in the 60-80k range.   Probably in the 10-30k range now.   It's a bit irrelevant though, as even on the high end, the ratings don't justify enough ad revenue to do much more than break even over production costs.

The last I saw something, I think MASN subscribers dipped below 2 million and falling.   That's still good for about 100 milion in revenue and falling.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Torontobluejays/comments/11zxdg8/each_teams_average_regular_season_viewership/n
Other than the Blue Jays, no MLB teams are set up well to monetize from viewers actually watching their games.

Even the mighty Yankees aren't immune to declining Yes subscriptions.

It's just the Dodgers that are continuing to rake in the money for people not watching their games.

[nfotiu]

Is there still local blackouts?

Not really.   The teams that got booted from their RSNs last year were available on mlb.tv for about $20/month as you had to buy their local game package.   That is all moving to ESPN this year.

That's not a very attractive model.   If MLB local games are only available to people willing to pay $20/month, MLB loses all but their most dedicated fans.

mlb.tv blackouts, $20/month local app subscriptions (through ESPN/mlb.tv/standalone) are all set up to protect the RSN carriage fee money.   Once they accept that gravy train is dead, they have to come up with some attractive way of showing the games to everyone or they are going to lose fans forever. 

If 15 teams are without RSNs if Fan Duel dissolves, then they are getting close to critical mass in a hurry.

[HalfSmokes]

That's what I was touching on in my post.   Main Street/Fan Duel is hoping DAZN bails out the Fan Duel RSNs that currently host 9 mlb teams.   DAZN is asking the teams to accept lower rights fees than are in their current contract as a condition.

I don't think the MLB teams will go for that.  At least Manfred will be pushing hard for them to reject it.   Manfred doesn't want DAZN back dooring a deal to streaming rights for a bunch of teams, and wants to push packaging rights and putting them out for bid.

This still could affect the Nats decision though.   It seems fairly likely that the FD RSNs will dissolve or at least dissolve their contracts with the MLB teams and 9 more teams will be without RSNs by the end of January.  That would bring the total to 15 that would likely have their local games on the ESPN app.   If that happens, the Nats would probably want to at least kick the tires of that deal to see what it looks like before committing to MASN.

DAZN is hemorrhaging capital. I doubt they could offer anything more than the other options

[HalfSmokes]

Not really.   The teams that got booted from their RSNs last year were available on mlb.tv for about $20/month as you had to buy their local game package.   That is all moving to ESPN this year.

That's not a very attractive model.   If MLB local games are only available to people willing to pay $20/month, MLB loses all but their most dedicated fans.

mlb.tv blackouts, $20/month local app subscriptions (through ESPN/mlb.tv/standalone) are all set up to protect the RSN carriage fee money.   Once they accept that gravy train is dead, they have to come up with some attractive way of showing the games to everyone or they are going to lose fans forever. 

If 15 teams are without RSNs if Fan Duel dissolves, then they are getting close to critical mass in a hurry.

If it all moves the ESPN, unless your team is good enough to get a decent number of national games, they will effectively not be televised. $20 a month on top of an ESPN+ subscription is more than the vast majority will pay. It seems like a road to irrelevance

[varoadking]

It seems like a road to irrelevance

This team took that fork in the road years ago...