MASN and Comcast reached an agreement Friday that will move the RSN off of Comcast’s most basic cable package and “onto a more expensive tier,” according to Ben Strauss of the WASHINGTON POST. Comcast is the “dominant cable provider” in the D.C.-area and the majority of Comcast customers in D.C. “already have the more expensive tier,” known as the Ultimate Package. The more expensive tier costs around $20 more than the basic Popular package. Comcast will run a promotion that offers it free to fans who want to upgrade for three months, followed by a $10 fee for the next three months before the full price change takes effect (WASHINGTON POST, 3/8). In Baltimore, Hayes Gardner noted the transition of MASN from Xfinity’s basic tier, Popular TV, to Ultimate TV is expected to take place tomorrow. The move to transition MASN to an elevated tier is “similar to moves” made by Comcast in both the Pittsburgh and Seattle market. There is "no direct-to-consumer option to watch MASN" (BALTIMORE SUN, 3/8).
A TOP PRIORITY: In Baltimore, Kyle Goon wrote Comcast had the Orioles “in a unique bind” because of “how few options there are to get MASN” which exists largely on traditional providers. A DTC product is “long overdue” and it should be “one of the first priorities” when David Rubenstein and his ownership group takes over the team and network (BALTIMORE BANNER, 3/9).
