Fox to Air First Broadcast TV NFL Tripleheader in Week 10

Lachlan Murdoch, executive chairman and CEO of Fox Corp., announced Monday on an earnings call that Fox will televise an NFL tripleheader in Week 10 of the upcoming season. The lineup marks the first such tripleheader on broadcast television.

The tripleheader kicks off with an early morning game on the East Coast, featuring the Detroit Lions against a yet-to-be-announced opponent in Munich, Germany. It continues with games in the 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. windows.

"The NFL has been a key partner with Fox for more than 30 years in what is a mutually beneficial relationship," Murdoch said. "To underscore this relationship with the NFL, yesterday, Fox acquired rights to two additional NFL games in national windows for this coming season."

He added: "The first will appear in Week 10. They're both national games ... That'll give us, I think it's the overseas game from Munich. That'll give us a tripleheader that Sunday, which I think will be the first tripleheader on broadcast TV in history."

Murdoch said Fox acquired the second game for a Saturday broadcast in Week 15.

Analysts asked Murdoch and Chief Financial Officer Steve Tomsic about potential friction with the NFL over soaring media rights costs and reports of possible contract renegotiations. The current deal has four years left.

Murdoch dismissed any strain. "I think the important note to take here ... is there is no tension really with the NFL," he said. "We're partners for 30 years. We're looking forward to being partners for the next 30 years."

He noted media speculation about the NFL seeking to renegotiate and extend deals but stressed Fox has held no substantive talks on the matter. "It's hard apart from what we've read in the press around speculation around that. I wouldn't want to add to that speculation at all."

Murdoch expressed interest in expanding the partnership. "We'd like to sort of broaden and deepen our relationship with the NFL, but we'll only do so in a disciplined way," he said. "Really takes some, creates value for a long-term shareholder value for our shareholders."