Washington, D.C. (January 31, 2008) -- As of now, there are only two Major League Baseball teams that will not be broadcast locally in High-Definition during the 2008 season:

The Baltimore Orioles and The Washington Nationals.

And what do the teams have in common?

The Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), which has yet to launch a high-def network, has the local broadcast rights for both teams.



The regional sports network told the Baltimore Sun last year that it might offer high-def coverage of the Nats and Orioles this year. But two months before the 2008 season begins, the network has still not announced its high-def plans.

Every other MLB team has already announced that its regional sports network will provide some games in high-def this year, including the Kansas City Royals, which were not broadcast locally in high-def last year.

TVPredictions.com last week called MASN officials asking for an update, but the calls were not returned.

MASN's failure to broadcast the Nats and O's in high-def has many fans grumbling on baseball message boards -- and in e-mails sent to TVPredictions.com.

In the past, MASN has said it has not offered the two teams in high-def because it did not have a dedicated HD channel.

However, the sports network could broadcast some games in high-def and offer them to cable and satellite providers who in turn could show them on their HD channels.

In addition, MASN could offer some HD games to Washington area station WDCA (channel 20), which can transmit in high-def. The sports network has shown standard-definition Nationals games on WDCA during the past three seasons.

___________________________________________

____________________________________________

Click TVPredictions.com to see today's Swanni Sez.

© TVPredictions.com
____________________________________________

Swanni (Phillip Swann) is president and publisher of TVPredictions.com. He has been quoted in dozens of publications and broadcast outlets, including CNN, Fox News, Inside Edition, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Financial Times, The Associated Press and The Hollywood Reporter. He can be reached at swann@tvpredictions.com or at 703-505-3064.

Click TVPredictions.com to read more news and features on TV technology.