The Static Isn't Peter Angelos

Thomas Boswell's April 20 Sports column said that Peter Angelos is "playing a role in keeping Nationals games off Comcast."

To the contrary, Mr. Angelos and Mid-Atlantic Sports Network are trying to get the Nationals network on every cable and satellite carrier in the region.

MASN has agreements with five carriers -- Cox, DirecTV, RCN, Verizon and Charter -- to show Nationals games to more than 2 million households in the Washington area.

MASN has made five offers to Comcast, has offered arbitration and has said it will meet with Comcast at any time to get Comcast to turn on the games.

Comcast is the only major cable carrier that refuses to carry the Nationals television network because it is trying to protect its own regional sports network and its monopoly on sports programming.

Fans who can't "figure out how to punish Comcast yet" have two choices. They can call and demand that their cable provider carry MASN, or they can switch to DirecTV.

TODD WEBSTER

Senior Adviser

Mid-Atlantic Sports Network

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