Could Texas Rangers TV Rights Be Headed To This Local Station?

The Texas Rangers television broadcast rights remain tenuous, with Bally Sports still mired in bankruptcy court. Could a local former home be the answer?

The Texas Rangers television broadcast rights remain in question with Bally Sports' parent company Diamond Sports Group in the middle of bankruptcy.

Could a local station enter the picture and save the day for the World Series champions?

The Dallas Stars announced their 7 p.m. Saturday road game against the St. Louis Blues will air on KTXA/Ch. 21, or TXA 21. The game was originally scheduled to air on Bally Sports Southwest Extra. The Dallas Mavericks game at the Portland Trail Blazers at 8 p.m. Saturday is airing on Bally Sports Southwest.

The Texas Rangers, Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars could all be looking to leave Bally Sports / Bally Sports

Rangers general manager Chris Young said the lingering doubt about the club's broadcast rights has some effect on the organization's bottom line.

The Stars switch to TXA 21 could signal a potential future home for Rangers broadcasts. The independent station is owned by the CBS News and Stations group, and is a sister station to CBS affiliate KTVT/Ch. 11.

KTVT has a deep history of broadcasting Rangers games going back to 1985 when it obtained the club's television rights for primarily road games. 

The Mavericks and Stars also have a long history with TXA 21, which started broadcasting in 1981. The Mavs aired on the station as far back as 1986. KTVT aired Stars games in 1993 after the team moved from Minnesota.

KTVT and KTXA share studio facilities on Bridge Street, north of I-30 in east Fort Worth. The facility is only 10 miles from Globe Life Field.

In 2010, the Rangers signed a 20-year, $3 billion deal with Fox Sports Southwest. Diamond Sports Group bought those rights, along with similar regional deals across the country, in 2019 and rebranded as Bally Sports Southwest.

DSG filed for bankruptcy in March and skipped its April payment to the Rangers, which prompted the club to join an MLB-led lawsuit to compel payment. 

The parties remain in a court battle.

Does Bally's Bankruptcy Impact Spending?

You can follow Stefan Stevenson on X @StefanVersusTex.

Catch up with Inside the Rangers on Facebook and X.