If you are an Orioles or Nationals fan in the surrounding area, MASN is an essential channel because they broadcast pretty much every game these two teams play each season. Read on to learn how cord-cutters can get it!
In a hurry? Unless you want to be stuck with a cable or satellite contract, the only way to get MASN is with DIRECTV STREAM’s Choice Plan for $108.99/mo. It’s a great plan that gives you 100+ channels including everything you normally think of getting from a good cable provider. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
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Table Of Contents
The Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) is a unique channel in that it focuses just on two Major League Baseball franchises: Baltimore Orioles or Washington Nationals. These two teams are the reason MASN and MASN2 exist. But they also show a tremendous collection of ACC sporting events, including football and basketball games.
How can you get MASN? Assuming that you want to do so cordlessly, you have one option. DIRECTV STREAM ($108.99/mo) is the only streaming service that has picked up this regional sports network. It is available to subscribers in the channel’s broadcast area, which is extensive, stretching from Pennsylvania southwest to West Virginia and south to North Carolina.
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How to Stream Mid-Atlantic Sports Network
MASN is one of several RSNs that are only carried by DIRECTV STREAM as far as live TV streaming services go. This used to not be the case, but various contract disputes have resulted in the number of providers being reduced to one.
In order to access this channel you need the DIRECTV STREAM Choice Package (or higher) for $108.99/mo. This also includes unlimited Cloud DVR storage and streaming on unlimited devices at once.
Note that DIRECTV STREAM also brings Monumental Sports Network to those in that channel’s broadcast area, ensuring that you can watch in-market broadcasts of Washington Wizards and Capitals games as well.
Meanwhile, you can watch the Baltimore Ravens and Washington Commanders play on CBS, Fox, NBC, and ESPN. However, note that DIRECTV STREAM does not carry the NFL Network.
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Other Options
If you are a fan of the Baltimore Orioles or Washington Nationals and do not secure access to MASN, you are going to need to be satisfied with only watching a few games a season. That would be roughly 12 for each if you go with a different streaming service. It would be even less if you decide to simply use an antenna.
The latter option will only get you access to Orioles and Nationals games that are being shown on Fox. During the 2021 season, the Orioles were on Fox zero times while the Nationals were telecast on that network three times.
Also, take into account that those three Nationals games were shown on a regional basis. With that said, any World Series games played by the Orioles or Nationals will be on Fox.
If you decide to go with a different streaming service, such as Hulu + Live TV ($76.99/mo), FuboTV ($74.99/mo), Sling TV ($40.00/mo), YouTube TV ($72.99/mo), or Vidgo ($69.99/mo), you can watch Orioles and Nationals games shown on ESPN, Fox, FS1, and TBS. But there are exceptions. TBS is not available through FuboTV or Vidgo. And MLB Network is not available through Hulu + Live TV.
Meanwhile, those located outside of the blackout regions of the Orioles and Nationals can subscribe to MLB.TV ($24.99/mo) to watch out-of-market broadcasts of their games.
However, if you are within MASN’s broadcast area, it is likely that you are also inside those teams’ MLB.TV blackout regions. If this is the case, you will have to wait until 90 minutes after the games end to stream them.
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Cable/Satellite/Internet Options
If all else fails, you can stream MASN using one of the following internet, cable, or satellite providers:
- Internet: Armstrong, Bay Country Communications, Breezeline (formerly Atlantic Broadband), Co-Mo Connect, Easton Velocity, Lumos Networks, Mediacom, Verizon Fios
- Cable: Cox Communications, Spectrum
- Satellite: DIRECTV.
If you have an account with any of them, you can stream MASN and MASN2 using TV Everywhere. You can stream directly on its website, masnsports.com. We have also confirmed that MASN offers apps for Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku as well as mobile devices with Android and iOS (iPhone, iPad).
Note that other providers like Comcast and Dish Network offer MASN, but they do not appear to offer it through TV Everywhere and thus don’t allow you to stream the channels.
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Devices to Live Stream MASN
You can watch MASN on most devices through DIRECTV STREAM. All Orioles and Nationals games are broadcast in high definition (1080p), so you should get that resolution if your device supports it.
DIRECTV STREAM supports Android TV-powered and Samsung smart TVs directly. And you can use the most popular TV devices: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku.
You can also watch on mobile devices running iOS (iPhone, iPad) and Android. And you can cast from them to your TV with Chromecast. DIRECTV STREAM also provides a very nice interface for web browsers.
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What Is the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network?
The Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, which is commonly known by its acronym of MASN, was created in 2005. Despite the team’s popularity in the Washington, DC area, Orioles CEO John P Angelos and MLB struck a deal to share the soon-to-be-launched channel to facilitate the process of moving the Montreal Expos to the Washington Nationals.
MASN immediately became the primary television home of the Nationals and the part-time home of the Baltimore Orioles. Two years later, it would become the full-time home of the Orioles as well.
In between those two years, in 2006, MASN started expanding its programming beyond baseball games. One of its biggest additions in the years since has been its extensive NCAA programming. Most notably, it now serves as the regional home of Atlantic Coast Conference sports events, including football and basketball games.
The Orioles and Nationals own MASN with the former club owning more than two-thirds of the channel. That percentage started at 90 and is gradually moving towards 67. It will reach the latter figure in 2032.
Where Is MASN Available?
Viewers situated anywhere in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia is qualified to subscribe to MASN. This is also true of those in portions of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and North Carolina.
This is not a limitation of DIRECTV STREAM. Because of blackout rules, MASN is limited in where it can broadcast.
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What Sports Events Are Shown on MASN?
The clear focuses of MASN are the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals. The vast majority of games played by those clubs are shown on this network. That’s about 150 of their respective 162 regular-season contests. They also air some of the Spring Training games.
Games not on MASN will instead air on channels such as Fox, ESPN, and TBS to national or regional audiences. DIRECTV STREAM provides all these channels as well.
O’s Xtra and Nats Xtra serve as MASN’s pre-game and post-game shows for those teams’ games.
MASN sometimes broadcasts the Orioles’ Triple-A team Norfolk Tides. It doesn’t seem to cover the Nationals’ Fresno Grizzlies at all, however.
Another focus for MASN is college sports, ACC sports in particular. Examples of football games shown on MASN during the 2021 season included Western Michigan at Pittsburgh on Sep 18, Georgia Tech at Duke on Oct 9, and Syracuse at Louisville on Nov 13.
Numerous men’s and women’s ACC basketball games are broadcast on MASN as well. Extensive coverage of the ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament is included. Other conferences featured on MASN include the Atlantic 10, America East, and Big 12.
Note that the Orioles and Nationals take precedence over college sports. As a result, some college sports events taking place while the Orioles and Nationals are both playing are shown on a delayed basis on MASN or MASN2.
During times when no live games are on, paid programming or a variety of sports programming is shown. The latter selection includes shows featuring, for example, backpacking, kayaking, poker, skiing, tennis, beach volleyball, golfing, fishing, and horse racing.
Other Content
There is other content available. The website has a wealth of news, analysis, and stats for both teams.
Additionally, there are two podcasts: MASN All Access Podcast: Nationals and MASN All Access Podcast: Orioles. They appear roughly weekly but frequently more often than that.
There are corresponding YouTube channels, masn Nationals and masn Orioles.
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Who Are the MASN Commentators?
The primary play-by-play announcer for MASN’s Baltimore Orioles broadcasts is Kevin Brown. At times, Geoff Arnold, Scott Garceau, Brett Hollander, Dave Johnson, Melanie Newman, and Jim Palmer join the broadcasts. Rob Long hosts O’s Xtra. Ben McDonald seems to have left MASN.
Bob Carpenter is the play-by-play commentator for Washington Nationals broadcasts on MASN while Kevin Frandsen joins him as color commentator. Frandsen had a nine-year playing career that included time with the Nationals. Dan Kolko takes on various roles during Nationals broadcasts.
MASN Subchannels
MASN2 is a subchannel of MASN. Having two channels is more important for MASN than most RSNs. Given each Major League Baseball team plays 162 games per year, there are many occasions when the two teams play at the same time.
But it would be more accurate to think of MASN2 as it relates to MASN similarly to how ESPN2 relates to ESPN. In other words, there is not much difference between these channels, and both regularly show premier sporting events.
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Wrapping Up
Cord-cutters wanting to receive access to MASN to watch the Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, and ACC sporting events have one option: DIRECTV STREAM. If this is you, you will need to subscribe to at least its Choice plan ($108.99/mo) to watch MASN and MASN2. A 5-day free trial is now available for DIRECTV STREAM.
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FAQs
What is the difference between MASN and MASN2?
There is not much difference between MASN and MASN2. Their relationship with each other could be compared to the relationship between ESPN and ESPN2 as MASN and MASN2 both show Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals games as well as an impressive selection of college sports events. DIRECTV STREAM offers both MASN and MASN2.
Are the Washington Nationals going to leave MASN?
There is no indication that the Nationals are going to abandon MASN. They currently own roughly one-quarter of the company and eventually will own one-third. However, there have been many conflicts over the years including a lawsuit regarding rights fees worth tens of millions of dollars that has been going on for a decade.
There has been a long battle over the Nationals’ share of broadcasting rights from 2012-16. This dispute went before an arbitration panel but the Orioles did not like the result. So they sued the Nationals and MLB. They lost this case so they appealed the lower court ruling to the New York Court of Appeals. But in 2023, the Court found unanimously for the Nationals and the original arbitration ruling.
There has been talk that the Lerner family (current owners) is interested in selling the Washington Nationals. If this happens, it might cause a change. The current situation with two MLB teams broadcast by the same RSN is probably not for the best. And the Nationals might make more sense on Monumental Sports Network.
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What channel number is MASN on cable and satellite providers?
Channel numbers different from provider to provider and even within providers. Here are the numbers for the top cable, satellite, and broadband services:
| Provider | MASN | MASN2 |
| Antietam Broadband | 517 | 518 |
| Armstrong | 179 | 178 |
| Atlantic Broadband/Harron | 530 729 747 | 57 578 733 748 |
| Bay Country Communications | 228 | 229 |
| Chesapeake Bay Communications | 660 | 661 |
| Citynet TV | 214 | 215 |
| Comcast/Xfinity | 845 | 844 |
| Cox | 1039 1053 1055 1079 | 1135 |
| DirecTV | 640 | 640-1 |
| Easton Velocity | 131 | 132 |
| Hardy Telecommunications | 1028 | 1029 |
| Lumos | 1033 | 1034 |
| MediaCom | 833 | 834 |
| Nelson Cable | 711 | 712 |
| OpenBand | 470 | 471 |
| Randolph Communications | 749 | 750 |
| SkyLine/SkyBest | 837 | 838 |
| Spruce Knob Seneca Rocks Telephone | 529 | |
| TriCounty Broadband | 758 | 759 |
| Verizon/Fios | 577/8 | 579 |
| WOW! and Broadstripe | 415 | 446 |
| Zito Meida | 34 | 35 |
How can I watch the Nationals’ divisional rivals?
Other National League East games can be watched using the following guides:
- Atlanta Braves — Bally Sports South / Bally Sports Southeast
- Miami Marlins — Bally Sports Florida
- New York Mets — SportsNet New York
- Philadelphia Phillies — NBC Sports Philadelphia
How can I watch the Orioles’ divisional rivals?
Below you can find information on watching other American League East teams:
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