The Washington Nationals media future is complex. I would respectfully suggest to the Nationals who are preparing for their first season free from MASN in 2026, the team has a rare opportunity to build a custom Mid‑Atlantic broadcast network. A partnership built around Nexstar and Tegna could deliver one of the most comprehensive over‑the‑air (OTA) footprints in Major League Baseball. The combination of WDCW and WUSA in Washington, plus Nexstar and Tegna outlets across Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, creates a clean, unified path to reach millions of fans.
Washington, D.C.: WDCW and WUSA as the Dual Flagships
In the nation’s capital, the Nationals could split about 15 to 25 free‑TV games between:
- WDCW‑50 (Nexstar) — the primary carrier
- WUSA‑9 (Tegna CBS) — a secondary package
While the Nats could give all of their games in the local markets to over-the-air networks, three teams (Padres, Diamondbacks and Rockies) have already gone this route with about one game or fewer per week to a local network, sometimes referred to as “free TV” because technically per the FTC you can reach them by antenna (old-school approach) without any subscription. If you grew up before cable TV, you are very aware of this is how TV was watched exclusively before the 1980s.
The Padres are doing several Saturday night games with a local over-the-air network on CBS channel 8 (KFMB) and the CW. So my professional educated guess is likely to be in that 15 – 25 range would be the right mix.
This pairing gives the Nationals both maximum reach and major‑market promotional power. WDCW offers scheduling flexibility and strong digital reach, while WUSA brings the credibility and visibility of a top‑tier CBS affiliate.
Maryland from East to West- Nexstar’s Deep Regional Footprint
Nexstar’s presence in the region makes it a natural partner for the Nationals’ expansion north and west. Key stations include:
- WDVM (Hagerstown) — covering western Maryland and parts of West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
- WDCW’s extended reach into Montgomery and Prince George’s counties
- WMDT‑DT2, (Salisbury) the CW affiliate operated by Marquee Broadcasting, would finally give the Nationals a foothold on the Eastern Shore.
This cluster restores the Nationals’ presence in areas long blocked by MASN blackouts.
Virginia: Reaching Richmond, Charlottesville, and Norfolk
Virginia is Nationals territory, and Nexstar and Tegna together cover every major market:
- Richmond: WRIC‑8 (Nexstar ABC) or WTVR‑6 (Tegna CBS)
- Charlottesville/ Roanoke/ Lynchburg (Nexstar) WFXR‑FOX via regional
- Norfolk/Hampton Roads: WAVY‑10 (Nexstar NBC) or WVEC‑13 (Tegna ABC)
These stations give the Nationals a full Virginia footprint, reaching millions of fans who have lacked consistent access.
How MLB.TV and ESPN Fit Into the Model
Like the Padres, Diamondbacks, and Rockies and other teams in the MLB/ESPN agreement for broadcasting, the Nationals would use MLB’s in‑house model:
- MLB.TV streams all games in‑market with no blackouts
- ESPN+ carries regional streaming
- MLB Local Media handles production and cable/satellite distribution
The OTA partners simply broadcast the games MLB assigns — a clean, modern hybrid system.
A New Era Beyond MASN
For the first time in franchise history, the Nationals are free to build a network tailored to their fans, not constrained by legacy contracts. A Nexstar–Tegna partnership could deliver a Mid‑Atlantic footprint worthy of a major‑market team — and reconnect millions of fans from D.C. to Harrisburg to Norfolk.
