Monumental Sports & Entertainment has opened the multi-million-dollar facility for its RSN, Monumental Sports NetworkMonumental
In an indistinguishable office building adjacent to Capital One Arena, Monumental Sports & Entertainment has opened a new headquarters and studio for its regional sports network. MSE bought the network from NBCUniversal in August 2022, rebranded it to Monumental Sports Network, launched a direct-to-consumer streaming option and now opened the multi-million-dollar facility.
MSE President of Media and New Enterprises Zach Leonsis said a majority of Monumental’s fans -- Wizards, Capitals, Mystics and G League Capital City Go-Go supporters -- interact with the company and its teams through linear television, which is why they felt it important to invest heavily in the studio.
MSN’s studio space and infrastructure allows the network to produce 1080p video and, when the time comes, 4k video as well. Leonsis said the space was also built with flexibility and utility in mind, including a cloud-based system that will allow for easier upgrades, five control rooms that will provide the capability to produce multiple events simultaneously, two full-sized studios that can be merged, and the potential to produce alternative broadcasts.
Leonsis and the team at Diversified -- which has worked with teams and networks across the globe -- created two smaller insert studios to allow for quicker turnaround items or for remote broadcasts of live sporting events. The new building brings all of the network's operations under one roof including production, talent and sales. Overall, more than 150 MSE employees will work from the space.
The studio is not the endpoint in MSN’s media pursuit. Leonsis has often spoke about creating a direct-to-consumer bundle that serves all fans of teams in the market and this new space is a tool to help further that vision.
“This is a key tool that unleashes a lot of potential for the video we can produce in that bundle,” Leonsis said. “Our bundle today includes our live games, some of our original programs, tangible assets, like bobbleheads. And I think we're just getting started. I think we want to be expanding and adding more value into that bundle and in different skews and a lot of different opportunities.”
Along with MSE’s portfolio of teams, Monumental Sports Network is home to a local package of Washington Spirit games, Major League Rugby’s Old Glory DC, college basketball and volleyball, and high school basketball. Leonsis said the network has spoken to over a dozen teams about housing their live events on the network.
Monumental Sports Network studios
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Monumental Sports Networks new studio space features two full-sized studios that can be merged into a larger option on non-conflict nights
Photo: Monumental Sports & Entertainment 
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MSN's new studio space features 1,200 square feet of 4k LED monitors like the one shown
Photo: Monumental Sports & Entertainment 
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The new studio space was designed with flexibility in mind, allowing the network to put on multiple productions at once and provide the same quality broadcast throughout
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