Fox Corporation has fired the first shot in the 2025 sports streaming wars. One might even call it a preemptive strike. CEO Lachlan Murdoch announced the launch of a new sports streaming platform, Fox One, during the company’s earnings call on Tuesday.
What are the details of the new sports service?
The new service will be available starting Aug. 21, a little more than a week before football season kicks off, with a price tag of $19.99 per month. The direct-to-consumer venture is seen as a direct competitor to ESPN’s new streaming service, scheduled to launch in September and priced at $29.99 per month.
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Murdoch made sure to point out that Fox One will not host exclusive events or games that can only be seen on the platform, unlike services such as NBC’s Peacock and Netflix. The new service will include all programming running on Fox’s broadcast network, including live sports and news.
“The power of live sports remains unmatched and our sports portfolio continues to be in demand from advertisers and viewers alike,” Murdoch said. “We expect that to continue as we charge ahead to autumn when we welcome back postseason baseball, the NFL and College Football on Fox.”
Who is the service targeted toward?
Murdoch said the sports service will target “cord nevers” as opposed to those who already have pay-TV and cable. Consumers will also be able to bundle Fox One with other network programming services like Fox Nation, Big Ten Plus and Tubi.
“Soon, Fox One will additionally service another important audience segment, those wanting a paid, targeted offering encompassing all Fox brands,” Murdoch said. “These pillars of our distribution strategy provide us access to the largest audience possible, and will underpin our growth in the years ahead.”
Why is it a big step in the future of sports viewing?
Tuesday’s announcement is part of a shift that accelerates the network race to grab a commanding share of the sports streaming audience. Earlier this year, Fox attempted to partner with Disney and Warner Bros. to create the sports streaming service Venu, but the venture never got off the ground and was abandoned.
There were reports last week that the NFL and ESPN were close to a deal that would give the league 10% of the Disney-owned network. In return, ESPN would take full ownership of the NFL Network, the NFL Red Zone channels and other properties.
An indicator of Fox One’s traction could come as early as the opening weekend of college football when the network airs the season-opener between No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Ohio State at 12 p.m. ET. It’s widely regarded as one of the most highly anticipated openers in modern college football history.
Fox’s NFL regular-season coverage begins Sunday, Sept. 7, and the network’s coverage of the World Series begins in the second week of October.
