A year ago, Texas Rangers ownership set out to investigate blazing a new trail along the rough terrain that is currently the broadcast landscape. Ownership’s goals were straightforward: Expand visibility without losing profitability.
Sure, anything else, boss?
It may have been straightforward, but it was far from simple.
Good thing the Rangers called in Angie Swint, the team’s vice president for broadcasting to be part of the team charged with creating something that didn’t previously exist. Swint has experience in making something out of nothing.
She so desperately wanted to work in baseball that she once talked Kansas State coach Mike Clark into hiring her for a marketing position even before she’d enrolled as a freshman. Funny thing: When Swint walked into his office, marketing wasn’t even a thought, much less a position on staff. Facilities at Kansas State were so poor back then that if Clark had a real need, it was for a person who could hold the line at the porta-potty in the “stadium,” in case the coach had to make an in-game stop.
When needed, Swint did that, too. Also convinced fraternities and sororities to come out to games. Got a hot tub to the outfield as a draw. She helped create an atmosphere out of nothing, though she twice had to put summer work off to do internships with the Rangers, who hired her upon graduation to help with sponsorships.
Twenty-five years later, she hasn’t left, continually moving up the ranks in an organization where women have more of a foothold than ever before. As the Women’s Sports Federation celebrates National Girls and Women in Sports Day, Swint, 48, is one of five women at the vice president’s level or higher in the Rangers organization. That number may grow to six when the Rangers’ finalize the hiring of new legal counsel.
Wednesday is the 39th celebration of the day, meant to “inspire girls and women to play and be active, to realize their full power.”
While Major League Baseball still seems a long way from having its first female player, there is more participation in the business of the game than ever before. The Rangers’ Chief Financial Officer is Kellie Fischer, one of the highest ranking female executives for any team in MLB. The longest tenured full-time employee, Taunee Taylor, who coordinates player appearances and events, is a woman. There are now 18 women in baseball operations, led by Senior Director of Baseball Operations Michaelene Courtis and assistant pro scouting director Chandler Couch.
“The creation of [Rangers Sports Network] wouldn’t have been possible without Angie’s hard work,” said Rangers Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer Jim Cochrane, who worked alongside Swint in building out agreements to produce and distribute the new RSN. “Her dedication to the organization, and ultimately to our fans, is evident in the effort she has put forth to create what we hope is one of the best broadcasts in MLB.
“We have an incredibly strong group of women who help make our franchise go in virtually every department.”
Sports have always been integral and inspiring for Swint. She played softball through high school, but was working in the business even before that. Her father Jim, who managed baseball and softball complexes in Hutchinson, Kan., put her to work as a scorer as a 10-year-old. By the time she could drive, she was running youth leagues and tending fields herself. In high school, she drove herself an hour to-and-from Wichita, Kan., all summer working for the Double-A Wichita Wranglers.
“I think my dad said he felt like dealing with upset youth baseball parents would be good for toughening me up,” Swint said. “But I just loved everything about being around the game. I liked the environment, the atmosphere and loved the game. It just made it appealing as a career. I thought if there was ever an opportunity to work for a major league team — I didn’t care what the role was — I’d do everything I could to seize it. At the time, I didn’t know if that was thinking too big.”
For Swint, who may view the world from the most optimistic perspective in the entire Rangers organization, creating a career path in baseball has been a challenge, but not because of gender. While the group of women in the Rangers’ front office was significantly smaller when she started, it has always created a nurturing and inspiring atmosphere for others.
“Working in baseball is hard,” Swint said. “There are a lot of nights and a lot of weekends. It’s especially hard on families. But our organization has been very helpful there and they’ve really shown great support.
“I didn’t ever feel that opportunity was limited here being a woman. Maybe I should have. But I got great support in the organization and I had a mom who was very successful and a dad who was always telling me I could do whatever I wanted to.”
Over the last year, that has meant working with Cochrane and owners Ray Davis and Neil Leibman to pull together deals that will bring the Rangers to cable and streaming audiences and provide a 15-game over-the-air package for viewers in the club’s five-state broadcast territory.
While the dollars part of the deal is expected to give Davis and Leibman at least as much revenue as their deal with the parent company of Bally Sports Southwest did in 2024, the availability should also be much wider than it was when the Rangers go on the air for the first time on March 12.
“We wanted people to feel more connected to the team,” Swint said of the club’s aim in creating the multiplatform network. “We want to deliver games in a way that is easy to access. We want to bring new, exciting elements. And we wanted to reach more people.
“It’s been a lot, sure. But I’m an optimist. I always had faith. There was never a doubt that we could do this on my part.”
Twitter: @Evan_P_Grant
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