URBAN EDGE NETWORK AND RYZ SPORTS NETWORK EXPAND NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF HBCU AND NAIA SPORTS

Partnership combines Ryz FAST and CTV reach with UEN mobile, web and cast-to-TV access to expand viewing and monetization.

LAS VEGAS, NV, UNITED STATES, September 19, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Urban Edge Network LLC (UEN) today announced a new distribution relationship with Ryz Sports Network, expanding the national availability of select live sports from UEN’s growing portfolio of HBCU and NAIA conferences and institutions.

The relationship brings select UEN featured games to Ryz Sports Network’s free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) and connected-TV distribution ecosystem while maintaining UEN’s direct-to-consumer mobile, web, app and cast-to-TV strategy.

Through Ryz, select UEN featured events will be available across participating streaming and connected-TV environments including Samsung TV Plus, Prime Video, Roku, Sony PlayStation, Sony BRAVIA, LG Channels, VIZIO, DIRECTV, Fire TV, Fubo, Sling, Google TV and Xumo, subject to platform scheduling and availability.

Ryz Sports Network says its distribution footprint reaches more than 700 million active user accounts and is expected to approach 800 million active user accounts by Q4 2026.

ONE GAME. EVERY SCREEN. MULTIPLE REVENUE PATHS.

Fans will continue to access UEN programming directly through UEN’s web and mobile platforms and the UEN Sports app, with the ability to move live games to compatible televisions using Apple AirPlay and Google Cast. Select featured events now gain an additional national distribution pathway through Ryz and its streaming partners.

The result is a multi-screen ecosystem built around how sports fans consume content – across smartphones, computers and connected televisions rather than through a single channel or viewing environment.

“We don’t believe the future of sports media is about asking fans to find one more app or one more channel. It’s about making our content available wherever the fan already is,” said Hardy L. Pelt, Founding Member and Chief Revenue Officer of Urban Edge Network LLC. “FAST is an important part of that equation, but it isn’t the entire equation. A fan should be able to discover a featured game on a major connected-TV platform, watch another directly on UEN, and use the phone already in their hand to put that experience onto the biggest screen in the house. We want every screen to become an entry point – not a barrier.”
The relationship also expands monetization opportunities around UEN programming through digital advertising, programmatic monetization and sponsorship across multiple viewing environments.

“We’re thrilled to begin what we’re confident will be a long and prosperous relationship with the HBCU Athletic Conference. This partnership strengthens Ryz’s live sports offering while providing HBCU student-athletes and member organizations with greater national exposure,” said Neil Brubaker, Co-Founder and Chief Distribution Officer of Ryz Sports Network.

“As a longtime fan of HBCU athletics, I am honored to showcase such poignant and engaging content on the Ryz Sports Network,” said Hammad Zaidi, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ryz Sports Network.

FIRST FEATURED MATCHUP: TOP-20 NAIA FOOTBALL

The expanded distribution will be showcased Saturday, September 19 at 2:00 p.m. Central Time, when McPherson College hosts Evangel University at Brubaker Family Stadium – Paul Family Field in McPherson, Kansas. The matchup features two nationally ranked NAIA football programs, with Evangel entering the week ranked No. 17 and McPherson No. 18.

Fans can watch directly through Urban Edge Network at www.urbanedgenetwork.net and through the UEN Sports mobile experience. On compatible devices, viewers can use Apple AirPlay or Google Cast to move the action to their television. The featured game will also be distributed through Ryz Sports Network’s participating platform ecosystem.

A BROADER DISTRIBUTION MODEL FOR HBCU AND NAIA SPORTS

UEN’s live-sports portfolio includes programming from the CIAA^®, SIAC, HBCU Athletic Conference and multiple NAIA conferences, along with additional collegiate and professional sports properties. Thousands of live sporting events flow through the UEN ecosystem annually, allowing UEN to provide broad access while identifying premium matchups for expanded featured distribution.

The model combines FAST and connected television for reach and discovery; mobile, apps and web for direct access; casting for big-screen viewing; and advertising infrastructure designed to monetize audiences across those environments. Mobile is a gateway to television: a fan can discover a game through social media, tap a link, begin watching immediately and cast the event to a television.

For advertisers, the expanding ecosystem creates opportunities for campaigns across mobile, desktop, connected television, FAST and premium live sports. UEN’s infrastructure supports programmatic advertising, direct campaigns and sponsorships designed to make HBCU and NAIA sports audiences increasingly measurable, addressable and monetizable.

A FAST channel is a distribution destination. UEN is building a distribution network – making content available across mobile, streaming and television and allowing fans to decide how and where to watch.

“UEN isn’t trying to build one more place to watch HBCU and NAIA sports. We’re building the infrastructure that allows those sports to travel wherever the audience is.”

One game. Every screen. Multiple revenue paths.

ABOUT URBAN EDGE NETWORK LLC

Urban Edge Network LLC (UEN) is a Black-owned sports media and technology company delivering live and on-demand collegiate and professional sports across digital, mobile and connected-TV environments. UEN provides distribution, production, technology and monetization solutions, with an emphasis on expanding visibility and commercial opportunities for HBCUs, NAIA institutions and other historically underserved athletic communities. Its portfolio includes programming from the CIAA^®, SIAC, HBCU Athletic Conference and multiple NAIA conferences. UEN combines live-event distribution with advertising technology, programmatic monetization, mobile viewing and cast-to-TV capabilities. Watch at www.urbanedgenetwork.net or through the UEN Sports app.

UEN MEDIA CONTACT
Brendan Royal
Urban Edge Network LLC
Brenden@urbanedgenetwork.org
www.urbanedgenetwork.net

ABOUT Ryz SPORTS NETWORK
Ryz Sports Network (pronounced “rise”) is a 24/7 free ad-supported streaming television sports network built around its “Prime Time, All The Time” philosophy. Ryz delivers live sports programming across collegiate, professional, international and emerging sports. Its distribution includes Samsung TV Plus, Prime Video, Roku, Sony PlayStation, Sony BRAVIA, LG Channels, VIZIO, DIRECTV, Fire TV, Fubo, Sling, Google TV and Xumo, among other platforms. For more information, visit www.ryzsportsnetwork.com.

Ryz SPORTS NETWORK MEDIA CONTACT
Hammad Zaidi
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Ryz Sports Network
Hammad@RyzSportsNetwork.com
(855) 799-7778
www.ryzsportsnetwork.com

Brendan Royal
Urban Edge Network LLC
Brenden@urbanedgenetwork.org

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