Today MASN displayed the exact reason why so many Fans of Our Washington Nationals are upset with their coverage. Why is it that The Mid-Atlantic Sports Network can promote and show LIVE on their network--The Baltimore Orioles Unveiling of their New 2009 Uniforms at The Gallery at Harborplace in Baltimore, Maryland at 12 Noon? In fact, MASN even had a PREVIEW SHOW on their network.
Yet, when Our Washington Nationals unveiled their 2009 New Uniforms last week at The ESPN Zone in downtown Washington, DC--barely a whisper out of The Angelos Network? That's just silly and just goes to show once again--MASN needs to have Two Distinct Networks. MASN Baltimore & MASN Washington with their own separate schedules and programs and producers independent of each other making the call. This is the only way this shotgun wedding forced on DC Baseball can ever be tolerable.
It's well known that Major League Baseball set this in motion, only wishing to appease The Baltimore Owner. But it continually baffles me that, in the interest of making a profit--why would MASN NOT give Our Washington Nationals equal coverage on their network and promote DC Baseball as much as The Orioles? Really it does not make sense. Television is a business--why would you not try to bring in the largest possible audience of your reach? You would think MASN's advertisers would appreciate that effort?
Today's Unveiling of The Baltimore Orioles 2009 Uniforms reminded me, once again, of this awful disparity. Just like when Ronnie Belliard slammed out that Wonderful Two Out, Two Strike Home Run off Baltimore's George Sherrill on June 29th--arguably the most thrilling moment of the year at New Nationals Park. Yet, as Sohna and I were leaving South Capitol Street, all the monitors in the ballpark are showing The Orioles Post Game Show with their announcers decrying the loss by Baltimore. Last time I checked, Our Washington Nationals WERE THE HOME TEAM THAT DAY.
It's Simply Just Not Right.
12 comments:
There's a good reason, I believe, why MASN does what it does. Even though few in Northern Virginia have the time to drive out to Baltimore to watch 3 1/2 hour AL baseball, there's still a sizable group of Orioles fans in NoVa. Angelos wants them watching his Birds on TV, whether they later buy tickets or not. He's trying hard to hold onto their allegiance and keep them away from Nationals Park.
The Nationals still have a good bargain with MASN, getting $21M with poor ratings -- but there's one and only one way to turn those folks toward Washington - winning!
But it continually baffles me that, in the interest of making a profit--why would MASN NOT give Our Washington Nationals equal coverage on their network and promote DC Baseball as much as The Orioles?
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If the Nationals playing baseball averaged fewer than 9k at night, why would an event at ESPNZone during a workday be worth the time and resources? The Orioles on the other hand were getting about 40k a night during the season, and that makes a BIG difference.
AMEN!!!!
Oh, I dunno. I kind of like watching those taped delayed broadcasts of Sun Belt Conference NCAA football games beween two 2-7 teams that sometimes run on BOTH MASN channels simultaneously.
I am so glad to have such stimulating additional sports viewing options.
Face it, MASN as a whole is a joke!
It isn't right.....I noticied also that the MASN trucks are done up in Oriole colors anytime I have ever seen them. MASN is totally biased for the Birds. Viewership will improve when the Nats have a much better team this year(a healthy Nats will finish 3rd) and generate interest in the team.
GO NATS.....
MASN is in reality the Baltimore Sports Network. The Nats are intentionally neglected. The O's obviously believe this is in their overall interest.
You raise an excellent point, and one that was totally ignored by the press. I emailed MASN and asked them the same question -- and got no response from them, not even a robo thank you email.
What was worse is that the Washington Post blog "Nationals Journal" actually posted a link about the Baltimore uniforms like it was of interest to Nationals fans. When people protested, the poster (Tracee Hamilton) issued the following patronizing response: "Deep breaths people". Ugh.
If the Nationals playing baseball averaged fewer than 9k at night, why would an event at ESPNZone during a workday be worth the time and resources? The Orioles on the other hand were getting about 40k a night during the season, and that makes a BIG difference.
The ORIOLES were averaging 40,000 fans a night?? Maybe during the Clinton administration. Last time I checked, the Nationals were the ones who had a higher attendance in 2008.
It occurred to me that "Peter A." was referring to TV ratings rather than game attendance. When the Orioles' ratings climb UP to 27th, their fans can criticize their neighbors for being 30th in standings.
That being said, this is partly the reason why Nats ratings are so low. The main reason is---of course---that the team is bad. But there is a significant percentage of Nats fans who refuse to watch games on MASN because the network is owned by Peter Angelos. That's also a reason why the Nats-Orioles games played in Baltimore were not sellouts while the games in Washington were. Orioles fans were willing to travel to Nationals Park to root for their team and didn't mind lining the pockets of the Lerners. Many Nationals fans refused to go to Baltimore to root for their team if it meant helping Peter Angelos.
BTW, I asked this question on the Tom Davis show today. (I was introduced as "Edward from Germantown" but Germantown is not where I live---it's where I was working reading meters.) Tom Davis said the Orioles and Nats were alternating announcers that weekend and that the Nationals did not inform MASN that they were going to be unveiling their uniforms.
If you can't pick up 1300 AM on your radio, I urge fans to consider taping it off of MASN. Both Tom Davis and Phil Woods are very considerate of both Orioles and Nats fans.
Do the Nationals have to inform MASN when they are going to play a game?
From what I've heard from a friend in the business...
The Orioles alerted MASN in advance before their press release was sent out about the date of the jersey unveil. MASN correspondingly set up a live show.
The Nationals PR staff told no one with MASN that there was a live event until MASN received the Press Release like everyone else 6 days before the event.
Who is to blame there? Nats PR I assume...
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