Fox Soccer May Be Killed Off By News Corp, After Losing EPL Rights

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  • Chrispy
    Needs a hobby
    • Dec 2008
    • 11403
    #1

    Fox Soccer May Be Killed Off By News Corp, After Losing EPL Rights

    Fox Soccer may soon be no more. News Corp is considering converting the channel, a fixture for EPL fans in the U.S. since its inception, into an entertainment subsidiary of FX. Without the rights to a domestic league, at home or abroad, maintaining an all-soccer network makes little sense.

    NBC outbid Fox and ESPN for the EPL rights beginning next season, adding to the MLS rights it already has. Upstart beIN Sport owns the rights to both the Spanish Primera Liga and Italian Serie A. The prime soccer inventory Fox does have, the Champions League and the 2018 and 2022 World Cups (along with USMNT and USWNT during those cycles), would be more valuable as supplements for Fox’s planned national sports network Fox Sports 1.

    Network shuffling won’t affect fans, presuming distribution gets worked out in a timely fashion. What’s unclear is the affect on the sport’s long-term growth potential. ESPN promotion has been a primary reason for European soccer penetrating the mainstream in the U.S. The WWL will be out of the game after Euro 2016, with no strong incentive to get back in it. FOX will have the World Cups and USMNT and USWNT rights, but no consistent soccer programming to plug with them.

    Fox Soccer May Be Killed Off By News Corp, After Losing EPL Rights
    http://www.thebiglead.com/index.php/2013/01/16/fox-soccer-may-be-killed-off-by-news-corp-after-losing-epl-rights/
    Without a top-flight domestic league, either at home or abroad, maintaining a soccer-specific network would seem untenable.
    Tags: game, good
    • PP
      Senior Member
      • Feb 2010
      • 4994
      #2
      Makes sense. Fox should have ponied up more $. this is gonna go the way of goal.tv...is that even around anymore or do they still have the bundesliga?

        Comment

        • Chrispy
          Needs a hobby
          • Dec 2008
          • 11403
          #3
          Originally posted by PP
          Makes sense. Fox should have ponied up more $. this is gonna go the way of goal.tv...is that even around anymore or do they still have the bundesliga?
          Don't think so, their channel is gone from my channel lineup.

            Comment

            • BigHouseUSA
              Late to the party.
              • Jun 2009
              • 4907
              #4
              Gol is only around for people who don't have BeIN. Hopefully they do scrap Fox, it's a shame they got the WC rights though. Not only is their production value shit, they won't be nearly involved in soccer at that point. I'm very happy to put the Fox era of American soccer broadcasting behind us.
              Originally posted by mgoblue2290
              If you want to win, put Drew in.

                Comment

                • Anthony
                  In Brendan we trust.
                  • Jun 2009
                  • 5201
                  #5
                  Doesn't effect me.

                    Comment

                    • 1ke
                      D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F
                      • Mar 2009
                      • 6641
                      #6
                      I still get GOL. And I enjoy it. Germany and a bunch of South American leagues still play there.

                      Wont care if FS goes away. Although I will say, it was good while it lasted and helped grow the sport IMO. But their time was done when they didnt get the new rights. And NBC will bank on it.

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