they have already started cutting back on non-marquee sports: NHL (since picked up by ESPN), NASCAR, WGC golf, EPL club channels and club shows to name a few, plus they did not counterbid Optus Sport’s bid for the EPL. Expect Optus Sport to take over the rights to the A-League and the Socceroos, and ESPN to take over the French Open and Wimbledon tennis once Fox Sports’ current contracts are up
ESPN will be the home of American sports and tennis outside the Australian Open with 3 Grand Slams and ATP Tour shown. Looks like we need ESPN3 as a full time channels
Expect beIN Sports to go hard at Super Rugby/Wallabies tests when Fox Sports contract end.
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ESPN IS the home of US sport. The only US sport Fox Sports has left is its pet sport, golf.
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BeIN will go hard at A-League and Super Rugby. Euro football doesn’t start until 10.30pm AEST so they need domestic content to boost audience numbers.
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The NBL is hoping that Fox Sports will renew the now expired broadcasting contract and start to pay some money rather than getting it free. Maybe Foxtel will ask the NBL to actually pay them to put on their low rating sport.
That will put paid to News Corp’s hopes that Kayo will be the Netflix of sport.
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No doubt if we weren’t in the midst of the election that some government funding may have gone Foxtel’s way to help them out, just like last time.
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This could be a big blessing for Fetch if Optus picks up these niche sports. Good.
The actual ASX release.
The iQ4 costs FOXTEL $280-300, bit higher than I would’ve thought.
No surprise 50% of their programming costs are for sport (rights and production).
Movies are 7% of total programming costs, and original programming 5%.
IMO a price rise is a bad idea. I can only speak for myself, but I’m on $39 a month for basic, sport and HD and 4K, and that’s the absolute most I’d be willing to pay. I’d rather lose access to the basic pack than cop a price rise.
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I’m paying $115 a month for the whole lot across 2 IQ4 boxes as i’m off contract and negotiated a deal. if i can’t keep the same deal i’m happy to cut it off
I’m surprised Fox Sports haven’t adopted the practice of remotely producing a ton of their live sports from their HQ in Sydney. It has been all the rage with American networks in the past three-ish years and most viewers notice no difference that the commentators aren’t at the venue. Would save a ton of money on flying whole production crews all over the country.
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Production has already been centralised at NEP in Sydney and Melbourne. Centralising the commentators might be next?
https://www.mediatecgroup.com.au/project/fox-sports-production-hubs
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I think they’ve overpaid for the major Sports rights. Considering the massive mount Foxtel paid for those rights, they would have expected at least at some subscriber growth but that hasn’t happened.
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I’m staying in Adelaide at the moment and the apartment I’m staying at has one of these old relics.
Obviously no IQ or HD, takes me back to my first FOX box in 2008 which was the same as this.
Better than just an RF channel feed though.
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Foxtel’s first digital set-top box I believe. Looks like an original “bluey” smart card too.
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Not sure whether anyone else noticed this but it looks like Your money (the new business channel) has been axed as of today.
UPDATE: looks like your money is gone altogether. no longer on FTA
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It has been discussed in the Your Money thread.
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Dramas to watch now Game of Thrones has finished
With Game of Thrones reaching its epic conclusion today, Foxtel has revealed a huge slate of new and returning dramas from Australia and around the world to keep viewers entertained this winter.
Among the new shows about to premiere is the FX biographical series Fosse/Verdon , starring Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams; the gritty, action-packed crime drama Warrior , inspired by martial arts legend Bruce Lee; and HBO’s star-powered teen drama Euphoria , executive produced by Drake and led by Zendaya.
Also new to Foxtel this winter is The Act , a seasonal anthology series starring Patricia Arquette based on the disturbing true story of Gypsy Rose and Dee Dee Blanchard and their complex mother-daughter relationship that culminated in murder; and The Hot Zone , based on the international best-seller by Richard Preston and starring Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Julianna Margulies.
Several returning favourites are in the line-up, including the highly anticipated second seasons of Big Little Lies and Ryan Murphy’s ground-breaking drama Pose ; and an explosive seventh season of the critically-acclaimed fan favourite, Wentworth .
Also coming soon is the Foxtel Original drama Lambs of God , based on the captivating Australian novel by Marele Day and starring Emmy Award-winning actress Ann Dowd.
Currently on air and available to stream is the period drama Gentleman Jack from BAFTA-winning writer Sally Wainwright, starring Suranne Jones as high society lesbian Anne Lister; MotherFatherSon , a dark family drama starring Richard Gere in his first major television role; and Chernobyl , a powerful five-part mini-series based on the real-life events of the catastrophic nuclear accident of 1986.
Dramas to watch this winter
NOW ON: MOTHERFATHERSON
Richard Gere stars as media mogul Max, a US-born man who finds himself at the heart of British politics, and able to wield considerable power as the owner of various television stations and newspapers. Max’s aristocratic ex-wife Kathryn (Helen McCrory) works at a homeless shelter having been exiled from the family, while their struggling son Caden (Billy Howle) begins to crack under pressure as an editor for one of his father’s newspapers. Catastrophic events force the family back together, and they begin to work through their issues.
Stream on Foxtel or watch on BBC First
NOW ON: GENTLEMAN JACK
Gentleman Jack is the new eight-episode drama series from BAFTA-winning writer Sally Wainwright. Set in 1832 West Yorkshire, England, the series is inspired by the true-story of Anne Lister (Suranne Jones, Doc t o r Fos t er ), a well-off Yorkshire landowner famous for her four-million-word diary that documented her lesbian relationship, travels and efforts to transform the fate of her faded ancestral home Shibden Hall. The series explores Anne Lister’s relationships at home with her family, her servants, her tenants and her industrial rivals, who will use any dirty tricks they can to bring her down. Gentleman Jack features a stellar cast including Sophie Rundle ( Peaky B li nders ); Gemma Whelan ( Ga m e o f Th r ones ), Timothy West ( Las t Tango i n Ha lif ax , Bleak House ) and Gemma Jones ( G od’ s Own Country , Bri dget J one s ’ s Diary ).
Stream on Foxtel or watch on FOX SHOWCASE
NOW ON: CHERNOBYL
Starring Emily Watson, Jared Harris, and Stellan Skarsgård, this powerful five-part mini-series is based on the real-life events of the catastrophic nuclear accident of 1986 that shocked the world. Co-produced by HBO and Sky, the drama focuses on the stories of the people who sacrificed to save Europe from disaster. Harris ( M ad Men, The Crown ) stars as Valery Legasov, the Soviet scientist chosen by the Kremlin to investigate the accident, while Skarsgård ( M elancholia, Good Will Hunting ) plays Boris Shcherbina, the man responsible for leading the USSR government commission in the wake of the disaster. Watson ( Genius, The Theory of Everything ) portrays scientist Ulana Khomyuk, who was tasked with getting to the bottom of the deadly accident.
Stream on Foxtel
MAY 26: FOSSE/VERDON
Spanning five decades, Fosse/Verdon explores the singular romantic and creative partnership between Bob Fosse (Sam Rockwell) and Gwen Verdon (Michelle Williams). Bob is a visionary filmmaker and one of the theater’s most influential choreographers and directors, and Gwen is the greatest Broadway dancer of all time. Only Bob can create the ground-breaking musicals that allow Gwen to showcase her greatness. Only Gwen can realize the unique vision in Bob’s head. Together, they will change the face of American entertainment – at a perilous cost. Featuring Fosse’s choreography, the series explores the hidden corners of show business, the price of pursuing greatness and the suffering inflicted in the name of art. Based on Sam Wasson’s biography Fosse and produced by FX, the eight-episode limited series also stars Norbert Leo Butz, Margaret Qualley, Evan Handler, Aya Cash and Nate Corddry.
Stream on Foxtel or watch on FOX SHOWCASE from May 26
MAY 26: MAGNUM PI
Magnum P.I. is a modern take on the classic series centring on Thomas Magnum (Jay Hernandez), a decorated former Navy SEAL who, upon returning home from Afghanistan, repurposes his military skills to become a private investigator. A charming rogue, an American hero, and a die-hard Detroit Tigers fan, Magnum lives in a guest cottage on Robin’s Nest, the luxurious estate where he works as a security consultant to supplement his P.I. business. The “majordomo” of the property is Juliet Higgins (Perdita Weeks), a beautiful and commanding disavowed MI6 agent whose second job is to keep Magnum in line, with the help of her two Dobermans. When Magnum needs backup on a job, he turns to his trusted buddies and fellow POW survivors, Theodore “TC” Calvin (Stephen Hill), a former Marine chopper pilot who runs Island Hoppers, a helicopter tour business, and Orville “Rick” Wright (Zachary Knighton), a former Marine door-gunner-turned-impresario of Oahu’s coolest nightclub and the most connected man on the island. With keys to a vintage Ferrari in one hand, aviator sunglasses in the other, and an Old Düsseldorf longneck chilling in the fridge, Thomas Magnum is back on the case.
Stream on Foxtel or watch on FOX8 from May 26
MAY 28: WENTWORTH S7
Season 7 of the multi award-winning drama W en tw o rt h returns with the prison on the brink of imploding as the fiery confrontation between the two emerging titans, Rita and Marie, is imminent after series 6’s bloody finale. With the case of Joan Ferguson presumably closed, a significantly pregnant Vera and her co-conspirators in the Freak’s demise, Will and Jake, are off the hook, at least for now. Meanwhile, W en tw o rt h ’ s eclectic mix of misfits are fracturing as the powers of love, deception and revenge threaten to break them apart for good. Protection is the overarching theme of this latest instalment, with even our noblest heroes becoming morally compromised in their mission to defend the people they love, even if it has deadly consequences. The on-set of dementia finds Liz clutching at any semblance of hope while Boomer has to deal with the residual of her broken family.
Stream on Foxtel or watch on FOX SHOWCASE from May 28
JUNE 3: FEAR THE WALKING DEAD S5
In season 5, the group’s mission is clear: locate survivors and help make what’s left of the world a slightly better place. With dogged determination, Morgan (Lennie James) leads the group with a philosophy rooted in benevolence, community and hope. Each character believes that helping others will allow them to make up for the wrongs of their pasts. But trust won’t be easily earned. Their mission of helping others will be put to the ultimate test when our group finds themselves in uncharted territory, one which will force them to face not just their pasts but also their fears. It is only through facing those fears that the group will discover an entirely new way to live, one that will leave them forever changed.
Stream on Foxtel or watch on FOX SHOWCASE from June 3
JUNE 7: THE HOT ZONE
The Hot Zone, starring G Golden Globe and Emmy award winner Julianna Margulies as Dr. Nancy Jaax, is based on the eponymous international best-seller by Richard Preston. It is inspired by a true story about the origins of Ebola, a highly infectious and deadly virus from the central African rainforest and its arrival on US soil in 1989. When this killer suddenly appeared in monkeys in a scientific research lab in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., there was no known cure. A heroic US Army scientist (Dr. Nancy Jaax) working with a secret military specialised team put her life on the line to head off the outbreak before it spread to the human population. The Hot Zone is a dramatic, high-stakes scientific thriller with a courageous, brilliant and determined heroine at its centre.
Stream on Foxtel from June 7 or watch on Nat Geo from June 10
JUNE 10: BIG LITTLE LIES S2
Based on Liane Moriarty’s bestselling novel, and starring Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, and Zoe Kravitz, the breakout hit HBO drama series returns for a second seven-episode season and continues exploring the intriguing lives of the Monterey, California families. The brand-new season, again conceived by Moriarty, also sees iconic Oscar winning actress Meryl Streep join the stellar cast as the mother-in-law of Celeste (played by Kidman). Big Little Lies became one of the most talked about shows on television when it premiered and won eight primetime Emmy awards.
Stream on Foxtel or watch on FOX SHOWCASE, same time as the US, from June 10
JUNE 12: WARRIOR
Inspired by an idea from martial-arts legend Bruce Lee, and created and executive produced by Jonathan Tropper (Banshee), Warrior is a gritty, action-packed crime drama set during the brutal Tong Wars of San Francisco’s Chinatown in the second half of the 19th century. Filming in Cape Town, South Africa, the series follows Ah Sahm, a martial arts prodigy who emigrates from China to San Francisco under mysterious circumstances, and becomes a hatchet man for one of Chinatown’s most powerful organised crime families.
Stream on Foxtel or watch on FOX8 from June 12
JUNE 12: THE INBETWEEN
Cassie Bishop was born with a gift – though she may call it a curse. She can see and communicate with the dead, helping them with their unresolved problems… whether she likes it or not. When her long time friend Detective Tom Hackett and his new partner, former FBI Agent Damien Asante, need help solving a puzzling murder, Cassie agrees to use her abilities. Despite her reluctance, she may have found a way to keep her demons at bay, all while solving some of the city’s most challenging cases. Created by Moira Kirland, The InBetween stars Australian actress Harriet Dyer and Chad Buchanan.
Stream on Foxtel or watch on Universal from June 12*
JUNE 13: SHETLAND
Acclaimed murder-mystery Shetland returns for a new thrilling six-part tale, starring Douglas Henshall as Detective Jimmy Perez and based on the best-selling novels by Ann Cleeves. Perez and the team are shocked by the discovery of a severed hand on the beach. Soon after a holdall containing other body parts including a head is washed up and a forensic investigation reveals they belong to the same person. The subsequent murder enquiry uncovers a complex and unsettling network of organised crime.
Stream on Foxtel or watch on BBC First from June 13
JUNE 16: POSE S2
Season two of the show inspired by the ballroom culture of 80s New York will leap forward to 1990 – more specifically, the day Madonna’s single “Vogue” was released, a song that will be crucial to the plot of the season. The House of Evangelista is also forced to reevaluate its goals as the ballroom community begins to go mainstream. The show will also follow activism surrounding the AIDS crisis as it continues to worsen. The second season will again feature the most transgender actors cast as series regulars ever in a scripted series. Mj Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson, Indya Moore, Hailie Sahar, Angelica Ross, Billy Porter, Charlayne Woodard, Ryan Jamaal Swain, Dyllón Burnside and Angel Bismark Curiel make up the cast, with Broadway legend Patti LuPone set to join the sophomore season.
Stream on Foxtel or watch on FOX SHOWCASE from June 16
JUNE 17: EUPHORIA
Executive produced by Drake, Euphoria follows a group of high school students as they navigate love and friendships in a world of drugs, sex, trauma and social media. The ensemble cast includes actor and singer Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney (Sharp Objects), Maude Apatow (Girls), Jacob Elordi, Algee Smith, Alexa Demi, Barbie Ferreira, Hunter Schafer and Storm Reid. Euphoria is an American adaptation of an Israeli show of the same name, and all episodes are written by Sam Levinson (Assassination Nation), who also serves as executive producer. The series will be produced in partnership with A24 (Lady Bird, Random Acts of Flyness, 2 Dope Queens, Pod Save America) and includes executive producers Ravi Nandan, Kevin Turen, Hadas Mozes Lichtenstein, Tmira Yardeni, Mirit Toovi, Yoram Mokadi and Gary Lennon. Ron Leshem and Daphna Levin, who created the Israeli series, are also set to executive produce.
Stream on Foxtel or watch on FOX SHOWCASE from June 17
JUNE 18: THE ACT
The Act is a seasonal anthology series that tells startling, stranger-than-fiction true crime stories. Season one follows Gypsy Blanchard (Joey King), a girl trying to escape the toxic relationship she has with her overprotective mother, Dee Dee (Oscar winner Patricia Arquette). Her quest for independence opens a Pandora’s box of secrets, one that ultimately leads to murder. Also stars Oscar nominee Chloe Sevigny.
Stream on Foxtel or watch on FOX SHOWCASE from June 18
JULY: LAMBS OF GOD
On a remote island, three Catholic nuns are the last remaining members of the enclosed order of St. Agnes. Forgotten by the rest of the world, they live in a dilapidated monastery, where wild vegetation grows out of stone angels and sheep wander freely through the chapel. Based on the captivating Australian novel by Marele Day, Lambs of God features an international all- star cast, led by Emmy Award-winning actress Ann Dowd ( The Handmaids Tale , The Leftovers ), fresh off her groundbreaking slate of five films at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Dowd is joined by Australian stage and screen star Essie Davies ( The Babadook) , and UK actress, Jessica Barden ( The End Of The F*****World, The Lobster ) who, as the three Sisters of St Agnes, must defend their lives, existence, and beliefs when the handsome priest, played by actor Sam Reid ( The Railway Main , Belle , Anonymous) attempts to sell their dilapidated monastery. What unfolds is an epic and fantastical tale of faith, love, and redemption.
Stream on Foxtel or watch on FOX SHOWCASE in July