Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch said the network has “acquired rights to two additional NFL games in national windows” for 2026. Murdoch, on the company’s Q3 earnings call, noted the first game will be the overseas game from Munich in Week 10 that gives the network a tripleheader that Sunday, while the second will be a Saturday game in Week 15. Fox CMO Steve Tomsic added the network, which has four years left on its rights deal with the NFL, has had “no substantive discussions with the NFL” about extending their current deal, but added they would like to “broaden and deepen our relationship with the NFL.” He added, “But we’ll only do so in a disciplined way,” one that “creates value for a long-term shareholder value” (SBJ).
SUPER BOWL SLUMP: The WALL STREET JOURNAL’s Nicholas Miller notes Fox reported “lower” fiscal Q3 revenue, as not broadcasting the Super Bowl this year “weighed on its advertising income as compared with the prior year.” The company posted net income of $175M compared with $354M the year prior. On a per-share basis, earnings fell to 38 cents a share from 75 cents a share. Adjusted earnings were $1.32 a share. Analysts polled by FactSet “had expected $1 a share.” Revenue fell to $3.99B from $4.37B. Wall Street had expected $3.78B. Advertising revenue declined to $1.56B from $2.04B reported in the prior-year quarter, “largely because Fox didn’t have this year’s rights to the Super Bowl,” which it did broadcast last year. Distribution revenue increased 3% to $2.11B (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 5/11).
COMEBACK KID: Fox said that advertising revenue for its cable network programming rose 5%, “primarily boosted by increased news pricing and the broadcast of the World Baseball Classic, despite being partially offset by lower ratings” (REUTERS, 5/11).