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FOX Sports kicking up the promo pitch behind 2018 World Cup

After recently celebrating the 100-day countdown until the 2018 FIFA World Cup, 21st Century Fox Inc.'s FOX Sports continues to ramp up the promotion behind the tournament from Russia with a presence at the South by Southwest Conference and Festivals this weekend.

"World Cup 2018 is the single-largest TV event that 21st Century Fox has rallied around," Robert Gottlieb, executive vice president at Fox Sports, said in an interview.

At the FOX Sports House located in downtown Austin, Texas, Fox will provide the first sneak peek of a five-part documentary series following rising soccer stars en route to the World Cup. Shot in 20 countries by a dozen directors, "Phenoms" is constructed around interviews with 60 players.

Taking place March 11, the "Phenoms" kickoff event will be highlighted by FOX Sports studio host Rob Stone leading a discussion around the series and the sport with executive producer and former player Mario Melchiot; executive producer and Fox Digital Studio Vice President David Worthen Brooks; and Gordon Ramsay, star of FOX (US)'s "MasterChef," "Master Chef Junior" and "Hell's Kitchen."

Gottlieb explained the company plans to capitalize on Ramsay's celebrity and his interest in the sport, noting, "Gordon's a soccer fanatic. He might be the most excited guy in the whole company about the World Cup." FOX will air a World Cup-themed "Master Chef" closer to the tournament, which runs from June 14 through July 15. Gottlieb said the episode underscores the expansive resources being deployed across 21st Century Fox's various business units behind the World Cup.

As part of the 100-day countdown, the company aired a 30-second promo that was road-blocked at 8 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX Sports 1 (US), FX Network (US), National Geographic Channel (US), local FOX affiliates, regional sports networks and FOX Deportes (US).

The FOX Sports digital team has also initiated a "100 Most Memorable FIFA World Cup Moments" countdown and 60-second "Road to Russia" segments about the participating teams. During the tourney, there will be highlights of every goal on Twitter Inc., which will also be home to a live show every match day from the Red Square.

FOX Sports "publisher stories" will appear on Snap Inc.'s Snapchat, as well as a combination of fan-generated and broadcast highlights under the "our stories" banner.

Gottlieb said FOX Sports will announce "an important marketing partnership" for the tournament next month. He said promotional weight in the FOX camp will steadily ramp up in April and May.

The next significant marketing tentpole is set for May 15, marking 30 days until the start of the competition. In addition to corporate promotion, FOX Sports' paid media plan extends to out-of-home vehicles, digital schedules and TV buys.

With the games kicking off in the morning, the plan also calls for "a good bit of radio in the mix during rush hour." Gottlieb said there will be live reads along the lines of "Brazil leads 1-0," with DJs pointing listeners to FOX broadcast, cable or digital outlets carrying the matches.

All told, FOX Sports will televise all 64 matches live, including 38 on FOX, an unprecedented number for an English-language broadcaster in the U.S., and 26 on FS1. Each contest will also be livestreamed on FOX Sports GO and the new FOX Sport app. There will also be myriad other content pieces from FOX Sports, notably 100 features and video essays, including 32 made in collaboration with National Geographic providing viewers with a sense of Russia's architecture, culture and people.