Mid-Atlantic Sports Network and one of its top executives parted ways, according to multiple people familiar with the move. Chris Glass, who served as a senior vice president and executive producer at the network, had been at MASN since 2006. He oversaw all aspects of production for Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals games, including game broadcasts and studio programming.
Glass was relieved of his duties Thursday. He declined to comment. A MASN spokesman did not return a request for comment. The departure is the latest high-profile exit at the network, and it comes with Opening Day about two weeks away.
MASN already cut ties with a number of popular broadcasters and studio talent ahead of spring training. Orioles announcers Gary Thorne and Jim Hunter did not have their contracts renewed. Nationals pregame and postgame hosts Dan Kolko and Bo Porter were not retained. Nationals on-field reporter Alex Chappell also was let go. (Kolko since was hired by the Nationals.)
Those moves prompted a public rebuke from the Nationals in January. “To say that we are incredibly disappointed and upset by MASN’s decisions would be a gross understatement,” the team said. “To be clear — these decisions were made by MASN and against our wishes.”
The Nationals accused the network then of planning to cut its pre- and postgame shows from 30 to 15 minutes, but MASN said the shows will continue this season in their traditional 30-minute windows.
MASN’s spring training plans also have been in flux. Typically, the network airs seven exhibitions for both the Nationals and Orioles. This year, though, that was cut to two for each team, all at the end of March. MASN announced the small package Thursday, further frustrating customers who had waited weeks for any clarity. MASN will first televise the Orioles on Tuesday. Nationals fans will have to wait until March 28, four days before the regular season begins April 1.
MASN carries all Nationals and Orioles games that are not nationally televised. The network is owned by both teams, but the Orioles maintain the controlling stake and effectively run the network. The two teams have been embroiled in a decade-long legal battle over the cost of rights fees that MASN owes the Nationals.