With the new DC sports network taking over for NBC Sports Washington this season, why haven’t the Nationals been invited to partake in the network and another thing: What’s with the constant Anti-Baltimore crap?
The Orioles and Nationals dispute over the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network revenues is over and Baltimore knew that the MLB was going to side with Nationals no matter what because Manfred rubs elbows with the Lerner Family. Baltimore fans are fed up with the DC first mentality of the major sports leagues (NBA, MLS, NHL, MLB, and NFL). Ted Leonsis created Monumental Sports and Entertainment for his holdings and stakes in the Capitals, Mystics, and Wizards. But there’s another DC team out there that needs to go with them and that’s the Nationals.
When MASN was created, the Angelos family agreed to cede 25% of their fanbase to the new Nationals franchise in exchange for a 10% stake in the Network. Major League Baseball bought the stake at $75 million with 1% stake increase agreement and arrangement that would max out over 23 years to 33%. However, In 2012, a dispute arose between the Orioles, Nationals, MLB, and Network. The Nationals wanted the revenue share to increase to $118 million per year. During that time, the MLB seemingly continued to state that the Orioles agreement and arrangement of payments via the network was unfair.
The matter went to court and in 2023, the Nationals won the argument as the New York Courts stated that the agreement was unfair and that the Orioles should pay up.
As usual, the DC first mentality of the Major Sports Leagues and rest of the nation proves the continued fact that Baltimore is treated as the red-headed stepchild makes the animosity between the cities grow.
So let’s review the whole Anti-Baltimore situation here:
1. Baltimore lost the Bullets to Washington
2. NFL refused to come back to Baltimore after the Colts left and the NFL stated that the then-Redskins were Maryland’s football team. NFL expanded to Jacksonville and Carolina in 1993. Baltimore would later get a team in 1996 but the thumbing of the nose from the then commissioner of the NFL drove Baltimore football fans insane.
3. The NHL never seemingly wants to come here but then again, we don’t have a big enough arena
4. We’ve hosted SEVERAL world class soccer matches including a gold cup match, a major premier league game, and Major League Soccer refuses to come here stating that Maryland has a team already called D.C. United. Don Garber even thumbed his nose and scoffed at even the reality of Baltimore having a soccer team despite a strong soccer foundation.
So I ask Mr. Leonsis, whom I’ve met before in the past and he seems like a really understanding and reasonable man: Why haven’t you talked to the Lerner family and invited them and the Nationals organization to join your new television network?
The Nationals going to Monumental Sports Network would make more sense than them being with the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network because Monumental is all DC sports. I’m sure that the Lerner family will pay their two bits to join the network and in turn, it might improve their posturing in the Major League scene. They would probably make even more money than they would with them being at MASN.
But I believe is that the Nationals will stick with MASN just to spite the Orioles. All I hear out of this is Nelson Muntz’s “Ha-Ha” because again, the O’s are getting the short end of the stick no matter what they dispute.
This kind of goes double with Marquee Sports Network and the Cubs. Why not invite the White Sox to join you now that NBC Sports Regional Networks are going by the wayside? Because the Cubs would fall into the same situation as the Orioles. White Sox will want a bigger piece of the pie.
So Ted, Orioles fans implore you: Talk to the Lerner family and have them move the Nationals to Monumental Sports Network. We only have two sports teams here in Baltimore, while Washington has ALL FIVE (MLB, NHL, NBA, NFL, and MLS). Please take them because it makes more sense.
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