The NFL's push to lock in new media rights deals ahead of schedule hit a wall after Fox Corp. said it would not renegotiate early. The league had sought a multiyear head start on its existing agreements. Fox will hold its current contract through the 2029-30 season.
Lachlan Murdoch, Fox Corp. executive chair and CEO, conveyed the decision to investors during the company's fourth-quarter earnings call.
"We've had recent, thorough and productive discussions with the league, and as a result we will not be making any amendments to our existing contractual relationship, which extends through the completion of the 2029-30 season," Murdoch said. He added that Fox will be ready to engage on the opt-out seasons and beyond closer to the 2030-31 season, a timeline he described as consistent with the customary timetable for such negotiations.
Murdoch maintained a positive outlook on the partnership despite declining early talks, noting that Fox has been an NFL broadcast partner for 30 years.
The relationship extended further in June with a deal giving Fox secondary broadcast rights for NFL games in Mexico. The package covers Sunday afternoon and Thursday night games for Mexican audiences, all NFC playoff games and the Super Bowl.
Fox's NFL ratings back up its leverage at the table. The network closed the 2024-25 NFL season with its national Sunday afternoon window averaging 25.3 million viewers per game. Overall NFL deliveries on Fox rose 6 percent compared to the previous season. The 1 p.m. ET and 4:25 p.m. ET windows combined averaged 19.6 million viewers.
When pressed by analysts on the background of Fox's decision, Murdoch declined to elaborate, saying the company does not disclose specifics about partner discussions. He called the NFL relationship "incredibly positive."
Fox has also drawn attention for amplifying political scrutiny of the NFL's legacy broadcast antitrust exemption. The company submitted a statement to the Federal Communications Commission this spring encouraging a review of that exemption.
With Fox holding firm, the NFL's effort to secure an early, comprehensive rights package faces resistance. The league will need to recalibrate its approach with key broadcast partners.
