The Washington Nationals have ended its two decade with MASN with reports the organization will broadcast on MLB TV beginning in 2026
With news of a looming divorce between the Washington Nationals and MASN, the organization officially announced a new way for fans to watch the team in 2026.
Per release my MLB.com, local Washington Nationals games will be produced and distributed by Major League Baseball itself, a move set to make games available for fans within the market along with both on satellite television as well as the MLB direct-to-consumer streaming platform.
The Nationals also become the seventh team to join the network, joining the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies and Minnesota Twins. Local games produced by MLB have featured "special broadcast elements, increased access and technical innovation," per release, giving Nationals fans an added bonus following the move.
Reports emerged earlier in January that the Nationals were likely to turn elsewhere for broadcasting in 2026 with both the newly announced MLB.com an option, while other options for the organization to broadcast games began surfacing once the calendar officially turned to 2026. With the growing belief that the Nationals would ultimately turn elsewhere, that became a reality with Washington's announcement on Wednesday morning.
After resolving a dispute between MASN and Washington last spring, the organization publicly acknowledge the ability to seek a new media distribution partner beginning in 2026, a chance to capitalize on a hope that was felt by the fanbase since arriving in the nation's capital nearly two decades ago. MASN team president of baseball operations Catie Griggs previously noted that fans of both local baseball teams have a "long history of knowing that they can find high-quality content on MASN," but this marks a chance for the Nationals to capitalize on its expanded market with a more fair TV contract.
Ahead of the 2025 season, the two sides announced that Washington will continue to have its games broadcast on MASN under while acknowledging a "new, one-year contract" is in place.
A new network emerged as a potential possibility for the Nationals after Sports Business Journal previously reported that DAZN is "close to acquiring Main Street Sports Group," which held local rights for nearly 30 professional teams across the MLB, NBA and NHL. But that became a less realistic route in January after all nine MLB clubs terminated deals with Main Street Sports Group last week in response to additional financial instability from the regional sports network. Reports pointed to the company on track to dissolve at the end of the current NBA and NHL seasons if a sale to another platform isn't executed following a length bankruptcy proceeding to begin 2025.
Washington avoided a potential mishap, instead providing a chance for fans to watch the 2026 season with nearly one month until the start of spring training.
Per release, fans within Washington's local television market will be able to watch Nationals.TV on both cable and satellite television, along with the ability to stream live through the website. Additional information is expected to be released at a later date while streaming package will go on sale in February.
Visit nats.com/Watch to receive updates as soon as they are available.