Fox’s live sports strategy is a license to print money

Fox Corporation has closed its 2025-2026 upfront ad sales with double-digit volume growth for the second straight year, confirming that its heavy investment in live sports and streaming is a winning formula in a shaky advertising market.The surest bet: While traditional TV advertising wavers, Fox’s sports-centric portfolio is thriving. The company pulled in over $2 billion in ad commitments for its core sports properties, a new high, according to a report from Adweek. That figure highlights the immense value advertisers place on live NFL and MLB games—and it doesn’t even include the upcoming 2026 World Cup.Tubi’s touchdown: The company’s free streaming service, Tubi, was a breakout star. Ad commitments surged 35% year-over-year, a jump that comes on the heels of the platform blowing past the 100 million monthly active user mark.The company line: “Unprecedented audience growth across the Fox portfolio has driven better outcomes for our trusted client partners,” Jeff Collins, Fox’s ad sales president, said in a statement. “We thank them for their continued commitment and remain dedicated to making every second of their investment with us count.”Opportunity and uncertainty: In an era of fractured attention, premium live events are the undisputed king of content. Fox’s results show that owning a slate of must-watch sports provides a powerful moat against broader market uncertainty, a lesson its competitors are also learning. But Fox’s success isn’t happening in a vacuum. NBCUniversal also recently posted record upfront sales thanks to its own sports deals, bucking earlier fears that new tariffs could cool the ad market. The strong results for live programming also stand in contrast to the ongoing shake-ups in late-night television, where other networks are struggling.‍