Anaheim Ducks Set to Exit Victory+ Streaming Platform

Why the Ducks Are Walking Away

The Ducks have notified Victory+ of their plan to end the partnership, leaving two years remaining on a contract signed after they departed Bally Sports in 2024. This move follows a report from Sports Business Journal’s Alex Silverman that the team is actively seeking a new direct‑to‑consumer partner for the 2026‑27 season. Victory+ has been struggling to meet rights‑payment obligations to several partners, adding pressure on existing agreements.

Even though the Ducks are acting now, they are not the first NHL club to abandon the service. The Texas Rangers announced a mid‑season departure earlier this week, swapping Victory+ for a new platform called BZZR starting Friday. The Ducks are taking a longer runway—still without a confirmed replacement—giving Anaheim more time to explore options.

Exploring New Broadcast Paths

One clear avenue is expanding the existing over‑the‑air arrangement with the local Fox affiliate, which currently airs up to 65 Ducks games each season. The Nashville Predators recently replicated this model by striking a deal with Scripps after losing their FanDuel regional network, and Anaheim may follow a similar playbook. Any new agreement for the Ducks is still expected to include a streaming component, possibly leaning on the NHL’s own production resources rather than a third‑party service.

Commissioner Gary Bettman has indicated that while the league will not centralize local rights like the NBA and MLB are considering, clubs can still tap into NHL‑provided distribution and technical support if needed. This hands‑off stance stands in contrast to the NBA’s push toward a unified streaming hub, with YouTube emerging as the leading candidate for a centralized local broadcast model by the 2027‑28 season.

Broader Industry Implications

The collapse of Main Street Sports Group left a handful of NHL franchises—Carolina, Columbus, Detroit, Minnesota, Nashville, and St. Louis—on the market, with most opting for over‑the‑air solutions over streaming‑first arrangements. Victory+ has been floated as a potential landing pad for displaced NBA teams, but deals with Orlando, Charlotte, and Minnesota fell apart after financing issues. Only Dallas remains an NHL equity partner, alongside WNBA’s Atlanta Dream, Minnesota Lynx, an NWSL agreement, and League One Volleyball.

Losing two teams in a single day won’t automatically doom Victory+, yet the added strain of stalled NBA sales and missed payments weakens its pitch as a reliable local‑rights platform. The Ducks’ departure, combined with the broader shake‑up in sports media, underscores a growing trend of teams favoring direct‑to‑consumer or traditional broadcast models over emerging streaming ventures.

What’s Next for Anaheim

With no named replacement yet, the Ducks have flexibility to weigh a full local Fox package against using NHL‑central production tools. Their decision will likely influence other clubs still evaluating Victory+ and similar platforms. As the market continues to consolidate, the Ducks’ next move could set a precedent for how remaining NHL partners approach streaming in the 2026‑27 season.