Orioles fans will soon have another option to watch games this year: Fubo, a streaming service.
Fubo, a self-described “sports-first cable TV replacement product,” reached a carriage agreement with the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, the two parties announced Tuesday. By opening day, Fubo subscribers “across a seven-state region, from Harrisburg, Pa. to Charlotte, N.C.” will be able to watch MASN, according to a news release.
The move comes as MASN and Comcast recently reached a deal to keep the network on Xfinity cable — but at an increased price point.
Fubo is similar to cable providers in that it allows viewers to watch a bundle of TV channels for a monthly fee, but is different in that it is a streaming service that does not require a physical cable. Currently, fans who want to watch MASN need a cable package or a subscription to DirecTV Stream — a product similar to Fubo that allows viewers to stream channels.
MASN will be available on all Fubo plans, including the base plan that starts at $80 a month — plus regional sports network fees — and offers about 190 channels in the Baltimore area. A Fubo spokesperson said the agreement is a “multi-year deal,” but did not specify the length.
“Fubo has become a leading sports media platform and this new partnership will deliver O’s and Nats baseball to a significant new audience,” John McGuinness, MASN’s senior vice president, said in a statement.
Todd Mathers, Fubo’s senior vice president for content strategy and acquisition, said in a statement: “Fubo is proud to be the home for local sports and the addition of MASN will bring Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals fans even more access to their favorite teams for the 2024 MLB season.”
Orioles and Nationals games occasionally appear on national channels, such as ESPN or Fox Sports 1, but fans who want to consistently watch their team need access to MASN, which broadcasts the majority of the clubs’ games. There is no direct-to-consumer option to watch MASN — as in, a model that allows viewers to pay one fee to stream the network — but the network is “working on” such an option, according to its website.