Texas Rangers pregame host Jared Sandler (right) and special assistant to the general manager Nick Hundley talk about the team during an on-field broadcast before the team faces the Oakland Athletics at Globe Life Field in Arlington, April 30, 2025.
Tom Fox/Dallas Morning News
The Rangers will begin the second half of the season with a blockbuster move.
Amid growing concerns about the viability and financial solvency of Victory+, they are switching direct-to-consumer TV streaming providers and moving Rangers Sports Network-produced games to BZZR, a brand-new streaming platform in which one of the team’s minority owners is a partner.
The change is immediate, beginning with Friday’s game at Atlanta. Games will no longer be available on the Victory+ app.
Article continues below this ad
While minority owner Neil Leibman is listed as a director for the Texas-based company, this doesn’t appear to be a financial move, at least not in the short term. The Rangers needed somebody who could deliver the programming for the remainder of the season without expecting much in the way of finances. For BZZR, a new company, the benefit appears to be exposure in hopes of gaining more traction.
The change only affects the direct-to-consumer platform. Those who have signed up for subscriptions on a yearlong or monthly basis will have their accounts transferred to BZZR. Existing Rangers subscribers will receive an email prompting them to set up and authenticate a BZZR account to access the service.
The change will not impact RSN’s distribution with cable, satellite or over-the-air providers. All those services will continue without interruption.
According to multiple reports in the Sports Business Journal, Victory+’s parent company has been seeking additional funding in order to grow.
“When Rangers Sports Network was launched in January 2025, we committed to providing our fans with the highest-quality options to watch our games,” said Leibman, the chairman of Rangers Sports Media and Entertainment Company.
Article continues below this ad
“It is unfortunate that this switch in direct-to-consumer distributors was necessary, but the decision was made in the best interest of both the Rangers and our fans. RSN is committed to continued delivery of the highest-quality game broadcast possible, and we feel BZZR is well-positioned to manage a seamless transition.”
The Rangers are offering contacts, however, for customer service in transferring a subscription, creating a new account or accessing the app. For assistance, customers can contact BZZR’s customer service center at (401) 903-2997 or via email at txrangers@bzzr.com.
According to two people familiar with ongoing talks between the Rangers and Victory+, the club had grown increasingly concerned about the company’s ability to meet financial and delivery obligations. The Rangers, they said, wanted to make sure fans would not potentially be left without the ability to watch games.
A Parent Media Co. Inc., Victory+’s parent company, did not comment on the Rangers’ decision when reached by The News.
In the wake of the Rangers news, Sports Business Journal reported that the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks have informed Victory+ of their intention to terminate their agreement with the platform. The Stars are also on Victory+, but, for the time being, there are no changes to their situation.
Article continues below this ad
It will be the second time in two years that the Rangers have made a significant change to their broadcast platform. The club formed RSN, which it has now spun off into a separate company, after Diamond Sports Group, the parent company of the former regional sports network that bore the Bally’s and later FanDuel brands, filed for bankruptcy and tried to negotiate down contractual obligations for a second straight year.
The Rangers formed RSN to produce game broadcasts and signed multiple distribution agreements with cable and satellite providers such as DirecTV, DirecTV Stream, U-Verse and several smaller providers. The partnership with Victory+ was added to give fans a streaming subscription option.
In a May article, Sports Business Journal reported that Victory+ would stream the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream this season for free under an agreement that included an advertising revenue share but no guaranteed revenue.
According to the story, which cited Victory+’s bid for “crucial” funding: “The upside for Victory+ could be perception. At a time the streaming service is in pursuit of three to five NBA teams and looking for investors to better finance its free, ad-supported model, the WNBA deals are a well-timed way to demonstrate its business template works.”