Nationals and Orioles Resolve Longstanding Television Rights Dispute

MLB announces settlement allowing Nationals to pursue new TV deals starting in 2026, ending over a decade of legal battles with MASN.

The Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles have settled a yearslong dispute over television rights tied to the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN).
Starting in 2026, the Nationals will be free to negotiate their own TV broadcast rights, ending their reliance on MASN, which is majority-owned by the Orioles.
The settlement resolves all legal disputes and litigation related to past media rights fees, with MLB confirming the dismissal of all related cases.
The MASN arrangement was originally created in 2005 to facilitate the Nationals’ move to Washington, granting the Orioles significant control over the network and its revenues.
This resolution removes a major obstacle for the potential sale of the Nationals, which owner Mark Lerner had previously taken off the market due to limited buyer interest.