Can You Watch MASN Without Cable? Exploring Direct Subscriptions & Streaming Options

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – Follow me on X.

TV Answer Man, I’m tired of paying a billion dollars to Comcast to watch the Washington Nationals! Will MASN ever let us just subscribe directly to them so we don’t have to get a cable or satellite sub? And what about the streaming services? Do they have MASN? – Tommy, Bowie, Maryland.

Tommy, as a Washington Nationals fan myself, I feel your pain. MASN, the regional TV home of the Nats and the Baltimore Orioles, is not available now via a direct-to-consumer (DTC) standalone subscription that would eliminate the need to get a pay TV bundle from a cable or satellite operator or live streaming service.

To watch your hometown baseball teams, you still need to pay $100 a month or more to services such as Verizon, Comcast and DIRECTV. Two multi-channel live streaming services, DIRECTV Stream and Fubo, carry MASN in their programming packages but Fubo will also charge you close to $100 a month while DIRECTV Stream’s cheapest RSN (regional sports network) plan (“Choice”) will set you back a whopping $115 a month, not including taxes.

MASN’s failure to offer a standalone subscription is likely even more upsetting to DC/Baltimore area fans because several other teams are now available that way, including the Cleveland Guardians, San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Colorado Rockies, among others. The teams charge anywhere from $19.99 a month to $29.99 a month, which would be a significant savings compared to the $100 pay TV bundle. The Guardians yesterday began selling the entire 2025 season for just $99.99.

The good news here is that, according to the Baltimore Sun, MASN is aware of this problem and is considering offering a separate DTC subscription that would not require getting a pay TV bundle.

“MASN is evaluating new ways to expand its reach, perhaps by partnering with new platforms or adding the sort of ‘direct to consumer’ streaming service that younger fans want, according to a source familiar with the network’s thinking. The source asked to remain anonymous because there has been no announcement of MASN’s proposals, which he said were exploratory,” the Sun wrote in an article published two months ago.

MASN has not explained why it has never provided a standalone sub, but like other RSNs, it needs to balance its commitment to the cable and satellite operators (who pay handsomely to carry the channel) and its desire to broaden its audience.

There have been no updates from the Sun or MASN since the article was published. However, with spring training starting this week, you never know. The RSN might surprise us with an announcement or two.

As always, The TV Answer Man will update this article if we get additional information on MASN’s plans.

Until then, happy viewing and stay safe!

Have a question about a favorite show, streaming service or new TV product? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com. Please include your first name and hometown in your message.

The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered television for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.