Jump to content

Fox League

From Alfawiki
Fox League
Company typeSubscription television channel
IndustrySports broadcasting
Founded2017-02-27
Headquarters
Australia
Area served
Nationwide (Australia)
OwnerFox Sports Pty Limited

Fox League is an Australian subscription television channel dedicated to broadcasting both domestic and international rugby league events and related programming. It is owned by Fox Sports Pty Limited and was launched on 27 February 2017, accessible nationwide through Foxtel.

History

On 27 November 2015, the Australian Rugby League Commission revealed that Fox Sports had acquired live broadcast rights for all National Rugby League matches except the NRL Grand Final for the seasons spanning 2018 to 2022. This deal was later revised to include live coverage rights for all games except the Grand Final during the 2016 and 2017 seasons as well, with plans to introduce a dedicated NRL channel in 2017.

In February 2017, the channel was officially named Fox League and commenced broadcasting on 27 February, taking over from Fox Sports 2 on channel 502. Since its inception, it has established itself as a principal outlet for rugby league coverage within Australia.

Key viewership achievements include preliminary finals in 2017 attracting audiences exceeding 400,000 viewers. The year 2020 marked Fox League's international expansion through its launch on Canadian streaming platform DAZN. In 2023, the channel broke new ground by deploying a robotic analyst named Jake Duke, representing a technological advancement in sports media.

Event coverage

The channel’s rugby league-focused content includes live broadcasts of:

Special events

News and analysis programming

Fox League provides a range of studio-based shows centered on rugby league commentary and analysis, including:

  • Kia Thursday Night Football (2017–present)
  • VB Friday Night Footy (2017–present)
  • Bundaberg Rum NRL Super Saturday (2017–present)
  • Chemist Warehouse Sunday Ticket (2017–present)
  • KFC Monday Football (occasional broadcasts since 2017)
  • The Late Show With Matty Johns (2017–present)
  • Sunday Night with Matty Johns (2017–present)
  • NRL 360 (2017–present)
  • NRL Tonight (2017–present)
  • The Fan (since 2018)
  • The Matty Johns Podcast (from 2019 onwards)
  • The Final 5 (starting in 2020)
  • Top 5 Rivalries (initiated in 2020)
  • Vossy's Awesome 80s (launched in 2020)
  • Season's Best (debuted in 2020)

Previously Aired Programs

Staff

At the channel's official introduction on 16 February 2017, key presenters were revealed, featuring a female-led panel designed to boost audience interaction. This launch highlighted the network’s commitment to expert analysis and varied presentation styles.

When the 2018 lineup was announced on 20 February 2018, Fox League broadened its presenter roster by incorporating fresh faces alongside seasoned hosts to accommodate its expanding content range and enhance its competitive standing.

Presenters

Thursday Night League

Friday Night Footy

  • Jess Yates (2020–2021)
  • Braith Anasta (2022)
  • Hannah Hollis (2022)
  • Yvonne Sampson (2023–present)

Super Saturday

  • Yvonne Sampson (2017–present)
  • Braith Anasta (2022)
  • Jess Yates (2022)
  • Hannah Hollis (2022)

Sunday Ticket

  • Jess Yates (2017–2020)
  • Lara Pitt (2018–2020, 2022)
  • Hannah Hollis (2020–2021)
  • Braith Anasta (2022–present)
  • Yvonne Sampson (2023)
  • Jake Duke (2025)

Sunday Night with Matty Johns

Controversy Corner

NRL 360

Big League Wrap

NRL Try Time

The Fan

Queenslanders Only

League Life

The Greatest

The Late Show with Matty Johns

'The Professor's Late Hit]
(formerly known as The Professor's Farewell Tour and The Professor's Second Year Syndrome)

Matty Johns Face to Face

Benji


Play-by-play

Special Comments

Former contributors in this role include: Gorden Tallis, Gary Belcher, Brett Kimmorley, Mark Gasnier, Nathan Hindmarsh, Kevin Walters, Danny Buderus, Justin Hodges, Luke Lewis, Shane Flanagan, and Benji Marshall.

Sideline

  • Brent Tate – covering North Queensland home fixtures (2017–present)
  • Corey Parker – reporting on Brisbane and Gold Coast home matches (2017–present)
  • Tiffany Salmond – New Zealand Warriors home games coverage (2023–2024)
  • Courtney Tairi – New Zealand Warriors home games from 2025 onwards
  • Matt Russell (2006–present)
  • Lara Pitt (2007–present)
  • Jake Duke, James Hooper, Darcie McDonald, Niko Pajarillo, Eloise Sohier (active from 2023/2024 season onward)

Previous sideline reporters include Hannah Hollis and Andy Raymond.

Narrator

NSW Cup

  • Play-by-play commentators: Matt Russell, Ben Homer, Owen McLeod (2019–present); former commentators include Andy Raymond (2008–2019), and Jimmy Smith (2012–2020).
  • Special commentary provided by: Mark Carroll and Brett Kenny.
  • Sideline reporting is conducted by Niko Pajarillo and Emma Lawrence.

NRLW

Commentary team includes Matt Russell, Ben Homer, and formerly Brenton Speed (2017–2022).

Watch NRL

For audiences outside Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands, Fox League offers Watch NRL—a worldwide streaming platform delivering live broadcasts of every match, including marquee events like State of Origin and the Grand Final, which are shown with a delay within Australia.

See also

  • [ [Fox Cricket] ]
  • [ [Fox Footy] ]
  • [ [Fox Netball] ]
  • [ [Fox Sports (Australia)|Fox Sports] ]
  • [ [Fox Sports 2] ] & [ [Fox Soccer Plus] ] — American simulcast partners
  • [ [List of sports television channels] ]

External links

Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=Fox_League&oldid=64228"