Free the Wizards

The problem

Washington, DC residents helped pay for the upgrade to Capital One Arena with public money: the District put in $515 million of the $800 million renovation and now owns the building, leasing it back to Monumental through 2050. No broadcast or free-access condition was found in the public summaries of that deal — so this is a political argument, not a contractual one, and this campaign does not claim otherwise.

Now, to watch our own hometown teams at home, DC fans have to pay again: Wizards and Capitals local games sit behind the Monumental+ app at $19.99/month (or $179.99/year), on top of whatever fans already pay for TV and streaming. Monumental Sports Network is not on YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, or Fubo, after those deals expired in September 2025.

Other NBA cities do it differently: Phoenix, Dallas, Portland and New Orleans put 70 or more games a year on free over-the-air TV, and Miami’s local games stream free. DC is the outlier, with zero free over-the-air Wizards games and a top-end price — and the same paywall covers the Capitals.

We love these teams. We funded their house. We should not have to buy a second ticket just to watch from our living rooms.

What we demand

Monumental Sports: Make Wizards and Capitals local games available without a separate app subscription — carried on local broadcast or included in standard DC cable and streaming packages.
A free local viewing option for DC residents, given the public money in the arena.
DC Council: Hold a public oversight hearing on broadcast access tied to the arena deal, and press Monumental for a written access commitment.

DC is the outlier. Zero free over-the-air Wizards games. Phoenix, Dallas, Portland and New Orleans: 70+ free games a year. Miami: local games stream free. Monumental+: $19.99/month.

Sign the petition

The Change.org petition link will be added here as soon as it is live.

Petition to Ted Leonsis and Monumental Sports & Entertainment, and the Council of the District of Columbia.

What else this campaign does

Caps included: same network, same app, same arena money — Wizards and Capitals fans are one coalition.
DC Council testimony and letters; ask for a hearing on broadcast access.
Fan organizing: a shared hashtag and game-night visibility.
Local press: pitch the “paying twice” story to DC sports media.
Direct delivery: hand the signatures to Monumental and the Council in person, on camera.