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Angelos Willing To Share MASN With Comcast
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The Orioles, who own most of MASN, were given TV rights to the Washington area by MLB in 1981. When the Nationals moved here last season, Angelos agreed to share the territory and dropped his opposition to the franchise's relocation in return for control of local television broadcasts of the Nationals. Cohen yesterday called the agreement to compensate the Orioles "the original sin" that is the root cause of the current disagreement.
Orioles games, which are currently shown on Comcast SportsNet, will move to MASN next season.
Cohen said that if MLB terminates its joint ownership in MASN and frees up rights to the Nationals for public auction, Comcast would be willing to pay the Nationals $20 million for the games this year and more in the future.
"We have made what I think is the first constructive suggestion in trying to move the ball along, and this is that Major League Baseball and Mr. Angelos do what's rights for the Nationals and for the fans," Cohen said.
Cohen said it would be unfair to Comcast customers to charge them a fee for MASN when the network has no other programming than the Nationals, which means the MASN channel may be blank for the vast majority of the day or could be airing programs already available on its channels. Angelos said MASN is constructing a new facility and will begin round-the-clock programming starting July 15.
"Do not be deceived by the arguments being advanced by Comcast," Angelos said. "We are willing to go anywhere to meet with Comcast. Let's get the situation calmed down and get the games on for the fans. Then all of us can [negotiate] in a calm, sensible manner."
Cohen and Angelos agreed to meet with MLB President Robert A. DuPuy, who also testified at the hearing and who orchestrated the deal giving Nationals rights to MASN. Davis asked them to report back at the end of the month.
Pressed by the panel on when MLB would sell the Nationals, DuPuy said he expected Commissioner of Baseball Bud Selig to name an owner in the next two weeks.
