Fox Declares It Will Not Renegotiate NFL Media Rights Until After the 2029-30 Opt-Out

On August 6 2026, Fox Corporation chief executive Lachlan Murdoch announced during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call that the network will keep its existing National Football League (NFL) media rights agreement unchanged through the end of the 2029 season.

Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch says network won’t redo NFL deal until after 2029-30 opt-out

The NFL’s eleven-year contracts with its broadcast partners—including Fox, CBS-parent Paramount Skydance, Amazon, Disney (ESPN/ABC), and NBC—contain an “opt-out” clause that allows renegotiation after the 2029 campaign. League officials have expressed a desire to begin talks as early as 2026 to capture rising market values for live sports. At the same time, broadcasters face declining advertising and distribution revenues as streaming expands, prompting resistance to higher fees.

Variety Magazine

• The NFL’s current media rights package is reported to be worth $110 billion over 11 years, extending through the 2033-34 season, with an opt-out after 2029.

Fox’s refusal to reopen NFL media deal shows companies are increasingly willing to tell the league ‘no’

• NBC’s NBA rights now exceed the NFL’s Sunday Night Football fee, illustrating upward pressure on sports contracts.

Variety Magazine

• Murdoch’s earnings-call remarks emphasized a “clear path forward” with the NFL and highlighted recent success in securing Mexican-market NFL rights. He noted that Fox has engaged in “thorough and productive discussions” with the league but declined further detail.

Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch says network won’t redo NFL deal until after 2029-30 opt-out

• A spokesperson for the NFL declined to comment.

Variety Magazine

• CBS, NBC and Amazon’s Prime Video sports divisions were unavailable for comment.

Variety Magazine

• While multiple outlets reported Murdoch’s firm stance, the exact motivations remain opaque; Murdoch offered no background on the talks.

Fox’s refusal to reopen NFL media deal shows companies are increasingly willing to tell the league ‘no’

• The impact of recent political pressure on the NFL’s timeline—such as DOJ investigations and FCC commentary—has not been confirmed.

Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch says network won’t redo NFL deal until after 2029-30 opt-out

• No definitive information is available on whether the NFL will exercise its opt-out clause with CBS early, despite the change-of-control provision triggered by Paramount’s acquisition.

Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch says network won’t redo NFL deal until after 2029-30 opt-out

• “We don’t see any changes to our contractual terms until the 2030 season,” — Lachlan Murdoch, Fox Corporation CEO

Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch says network won’t redo NFL deal until after 2029-30 opt-out

• “In advance of the season, we've had a recent thorough and productive discussions with the league, and as a result, we will not be making any amendments to our existing contractual relationship, which extends to the completion of the 2029 season,” — Lachlan Murdoch, Fox Corporation CEO

CNBC

• “I can’t really give you any color in terms of the background to how we’ve come to that … We always err on the side of not going into specifics about discussions with our partners.” — Lachlan Murdoch, Fox Corporation CEO

Deadline Hollywood