The Nationals’ move from MASN to an MLB-produced network for game broadcasts was supposed to usher in a new era for the franchise. Instead, a bungled rollout frustrated fans and dampened their excitement over the opening weekend.

The pitch behind “Nationals.TV” is simple. It provides a streaming option for cord-cutters to access all 162 Nationals games while offering a cable channel for viewers who prefer a more traditional experience. The streaming service fielded few complaints, but the cable channels caused countless frustrations for Nationals die-hards. 

“While we did our best in the past months to advise fans on preparing for changes taking place for this season’s broadcasts, specific channel locations and distributor information were not available until the morning of our first game,” Jason Sinnarajah, the Nationals’ new president of baseball operations, wrote in an open letter to fans. “We know that’s not ideal for planning purposes, so we wanted to make sure that we get you all the right information to be able to watch the Washington Nationals.

The late announcement led to confusion as subscribers to YouTube TV and Hulu’s live TV package learned they wouldn’t receive the channel. Many cable subscribers then learned that their package didn’t qualify for the MLB broadcasts, even though they were able to watch games on MASN last season. 

Verizon FIOS caused the most commotion, as it demanded an unexpected upgrade for fans, even those who subscribed to a regional sports package. The cost of upgrades ranged from $17 per month for some long-term subscribers to $50 per month for others. 

“I’ve been watching the Nats since their first game in D.C. on Verizon FIOS as part of the Extreme Sports package, which has included the local D.C. sports teams,” longtime Nationals fan Jack Ledgerwood said. “Aren’t the Washington Nationals a local sports team?” 

Verizon’s customer service representatives even incorrectly told some fans on opening day that the cable provider wouldn’t carry Nationals games at all. 

“While we always aim for consistency, the move from MASN to a team-specific feed has resulted in some changes to our tiers,” a Verizon spokesperson told The Washington Times. “Certain plans may require an account review or an adjustment to align with the new MLB-provided feed.”

That adjustment could also necessitate a new cable box for some subscribers, another complication for fans eager to watch the Nationals open the season on the road against the Chicago Cubs. The spokesperson confirmed that Nationals.TV is not currently available on the “Local TV” plan. The new network will be added as a “selectable favorite” for Verizon’s “Your Fios TV” package, which costs $26 more per month when compared to the local plan. 

The streaming exclusive Nationals.TV app costs fans $20 per month, or $100 for the season. 

“Our priority has always been to make Nationals games more accessible for our fans,” Mr. Sinnarajah said. “We understand that there have been some growing pains in the first days of the season, and we want to fix that.”

Frustrations cooled throughout the weekend as the Nationals published a troubleshooting guide and channel finder to help viewers locate the new channel on cable providers, including Cox, DirecTV, Comcast, Fubo and Spectrum.

The Nationals’ broadcasting woes feel familiar for longtime fans. The MLB partnership replaces Washington’s much-maligned deal with the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, the regional sports entity primarily owned by the Baltimore Orioles.

MASN was established in March 2005 after the Montreal Expos relocated to Washington and became the Nationals, moving into what had been Baltimore’s exclusive broadcast territory since 1972. The Orioles were given a supermajority partnership interest in MASN, starting at 90%, and Washington made a $75 million payment to the network for an initial 10%.

Fans criticized the regional sports network for appearing to favor Orioles coverage and for failing to accommodate cord-cutters with a direct-to-consumer streaming app until 2025. 

The 2026 opener marked a series of changes across the organization, with new manager Blake Butera and first-year President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni looking to rebuild the roster with an eye toward advanced stats to aid player development.

The changes have encompassed the Nationals’ off-field work, as well, with Mr. Sinnarajah joining the front office and Dan Kolko taking over for longtime play-by-play voice Bob Carpenter in the TV broadcast booth. 

The Nationals split their first two games against the Cubs to begin the season 1-1. They end the series on Sunday afternoon before opening another three-game set on the road against the Phillies on Monday.