DirecTV & MASN 2

I have been reading in various Nationals Chat Rooms that many Washington Nationals Fans were getting some very unhappy news from DirecTV. Specifically, whether DirecTV will carry the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network Alternate Channel on those upcoming days in the 2007 Baseball Season when both Our Washington Nationals and The Baltimore Orioles are both scheduled to play at the same or overlapping time frames.

DirecTV Customer Relations has been telling Nats Fans that DirecTV WILL NOT guarantee carriage of MASN 2 on those days. This, after the other regional carriers: Comcast Sports Net, Cox Communications, RCN and Verizon Fios all have publicly stated they WILL carry the alternate channel at no additional charge to consumers.

Being a subscriber to DirecTV for over 10 years and their MLB Extra Innings Package during that entire time frame, I have never been left short of receiving virtually any Major League Baseball Game during the past decade. And, during the first two seasons of Washington Nationals Baseball, DirecTV has carried just about every single game. So, I never needed to complain to them.

But, after reading these online remarks, I decided to call DirecTV Corporate Headquarters in El Segundo, California (El Segundo is the Los Angeles suburb surrounding LAX Airport). Very quickly, I was able to get DirecTV's National Public Relations Manager on the line and explained to her what Fans have been hearing from their Customer Relations Department. Jade Ekstedt said she was unaware of any problems concerning MASN and its alternate channel. She took my information telling me she would call me back, as soon as she found out the final word.

Sure enough, 10 Minutes later Jade was calling me back with the answer. "I can tell you unequivocally, DirecTV WILL BE carrying both MASN and MASN 2 (The Alternate Channel) on those days BOTH The Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles have overlapping times," Jade told me. "MASN will be broadcast on it normal channel--626 on our service. MASN 2 will be broadcast on our Channel 671."

Do you have to have the MLB Extra Innings Package to receive MASN 2 on Channel 671?

Ekstedt firmly stated: "No, MASN and MASN 2 will be available to ALL DirecTV customers who have basic service. One does not have to pay any premium service charges to receive the alternate channel. Although, DirecTV can not control which teams game is shown on the two provided channels. That is a decision of MASN, not us."

Jade then told me, she was already in touch with the Head of Customer Service at DirecTV, in an effort to get the word straight to the many Nationals and Orioles fans that might be concerned about the misinformation being handed out by DirecTV. "As we speak, the work is already being done to correct the situation so that everyone in Customer Service is on the same page. We are very sorry for the misunderstanding, and quite frankly, I am very pleased that you called to notify me."

With that, I thanked Jade Ekstedt for her attention to my questions and definitely her promptness in responding. I don't think I could have asked for better service, or a quicker response.

For the many Washington Nationals Fans out there with DirecTV, I hope this clears up any concerns you might have about ANY Nats Game carried by this service provider.