Fox Corp. is bringing live sports to its Fox Nation streaming service for the first time.
The Fox News-owned streaming platform has inked a deal with Professional Bull Riders to become the exclusive Friday night broadcast partner for its Camping World Team Series.
The PBR Friday Night Live competitions will begin Aug. 8, and run through Oct. 24. In addition, Fox Nation will stream season two of the PBR competition series Last Cowboy Standing beginning July 11.
The deal with Fox is the first new rights deal for PBR since it was acquired by TKO Group Holdings earlier this year. TKO also owns the UFC, WWE, On Location and IMG. It also mark a major expansion into sports by Fox Nation, which only recently entered the sports doc space with a deal with IndyCar.
Fox Nation tested out the market back in May when it streamed Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo, which blended rodeo with live musical performances.
“We could not ask for a better partner to kick off our first foray into live sports,” Fopx nation president Lauren Petterson said in a statement. “PBR is an incredibly unique sport with an unrivaled, passionate fan base, and it’s a great addition to the entire Fox Nation viewer experience.”
“We’re thrilled to build on our strong partnership with Fox Nation to deliver live coverage of Friday Night Teams and the second season of Last Cowboy Standing,” PBR CEO and commissioner Sean Gleason added. “Kid Rock’s Rock N Rodeo was a breakout hit in May for Fox Nation, proving that their devoted audience is eager for exciting Western sports content. The Fox platform is a perfect stage to showcase our athletes’ stories of grit, courage, and determination.”
PBR’s primary rights partner is Paramount Global, and it previously had a deal with Dr. Phil’s Merit Street Media, though it severed ties with the company last year in a dispute over rights fees. Merit Street filed for bankruptcy earlier this month.
