News Corp. tees up sports channel
News Corp. is taking steps to start a national US sports network on cable TV aimed at challenging Walt Disney Co.’s ESPN, according to people with knowledge of the situation.
News Corp. is assembling the required rights from pay-TV carriers and sports organizations, said the people, who requested anonymity because talks are private. While a final decision hasn’t been made, the company is considering converting its Fuel action-sports network to the new channel, two of the people said.
With a national network, Fox would join Comcast’s NBC Sports Network and CBS’s CBS Sports Network in challenging No.1 ESPN. News Corp. last year secured rights to the Pac-12 Conference and Big-12 Conference games and owns 20 regional sports networks. In October News won TV rights to soccer’s World Cup in 2018 and 2022.
The new channel could begin service by the end of this year, one person said. The effort is being led by David Hill, the chairman of Fox Sports, one person said.
News Corp. owns The Post.