Streaming debut prioritizes sports, news, and stability
Fox Corp. will officially enter the direct-to-consumer streaming race with the August 21 launch of Fox One, priced at $19.99 per month. CEO Lachlan Murdoch announced the launch during the company’s Q2 earnings call, positioning the platform as a modest but strategic move anchored in live sports, news, and legacy content.
Fox One will include access to the full Fox content slate — from Fox’s NFL and Big Ten college football coverage to playoff MLB games, soccer, and other live sports — alongside Fox News Channel, Fox Business, and remaining original content from the Fox broadcast network.
Priced below ESPN’s $30 app, focused on utility
The $19.99 monthly cost is intentionally high enough to protect Fox’s cable revenues, yet notably undercuts the soon-to-launch ESPN streaming app, which Disney will price at $30 per month. ESPN’s upcoming service is expected to carry extensive sports programming, but with no news or general content — a gap Fox One aims to fill.
Disney is also reportedly finalizing a deal to acquire a 10% stake in ESPN by taking over the NFL’s in-house media assets. While ESPN’s offering remains highly anticipated, Fox is moving ahead with its focused, multi-genre service anchored in sports and news, rather than exclusive originals or blockbuster entertainment.
Fox’s alternative approach to the streaming wars
Fox’s streaming strategy stands apart from the likes of Disney+, Max, and Peacock, all of which pursued high-cost content arms races during the 2020s. Instead, Fox leaned into sports and news, acquiring Tubi in 2020 to compete in the free, ad-supported space, and quietly growing Fox Nation, a lifestyle platform geared to super fans of Fox News. Fox Nation is estimated to have around 3 million subscribers — modest by Netflix standards, but comparable to Fox News’ loyal daily audience.
Unlike rivals who spent heavily on original programming, Fox One will primarily serve as a centralized, digital delivery platform for content it already owns. Murdoch emphasized that Fox is not aiming to disrupt its profitable cable and broadcast operations. Instead, Fox One provides an ad inventory expansion, a first-party data channel, and a hedge against accelerating cord-cutting.
Timing tied to NFL kickoff and failed joint ventures
Fox One’s August launch strategically precedes the start of the NFL regular season in September. The company sees sports as the service’s primary draw, especially football and Big Ten coverage, which command high engagement and ad revenue. The launch follows the collapse of Venu, a proposed joint sports streaming venture between Fox, Disney, and Warner Bros. Discovery, which was halted by antitrust concerns after a challenge by Fubo.
Fox’s approach reflects a broader strategy to monetize existing strengths rather than chase high-cost experiments. The service is not expected to offer exclusive content, and no major capital outlays are planned. Instead, Fox is positioning Fox One as a profitable, future-oriented extension of its legacy model — one that blends live sports, trusted news, and cost-effective streaming delivery.