MLB panel cuts value of Nats’ TV rights in dispute with O’s

A Major League Baseball panel hearing the long-running dispute between the Nationals and Baltimore Orioles over money from the cable channel they jointly own said Washington should receive $296.8 million from the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network for its television rights for 2012-16.

That’s down from $298.1 million under a previous decision that was thrown out by a New York court.

The 48-page decision by MLB’s Revenue Sharing Definitions Committee was issued April 15 and unsealed Tuesday in New York Supreme Court. Washington filed a motion last month for the court to confirm the arbitration decision, but the Orioles are contesting that and want the New York Court of Appeals to decide whether the committee should have reheard the case.

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.