Fox extends CEO Lachlan Murdoch's contract ahead of FOX One launch

The long-term extension of Murdoch and Tomsic signals the board’s commitment to its 'sports-first' streaming strategy during a critical transition for traditional media. By launching FOX One specifically ahead of the NFL and college football seasons, Fox is attempting to protect its high-margin affiliate fee business while building a defensive DTC moat to capture shifting audiences. The success of this transition will determine if Fox can maintain its mid-teens valuation multiple against tech-native competitors. Watch for FOX One’s initial subscriber churn rates following the conclusion of the 2026 football season.

The rollout of FOX One coincides with continued momentum for Tubi, Fox’s ad-supported streaming pillar. Per MediaPost in January 2025, Tubi surpassed 97 million monthly active users and generated more than 10 billion streaming hours in 2024, positioning it as a significant hedge against traditional broadcast declines. By May 2026, Media Play News reported that Tubi had achieved its third consecutive quarter of break-even or better profitability, hitting 100 million monthly users. This fiscal stability provides the air cover necessary for Fox to experiment with the premium, subscription-based FOX One model.

Simultaneously, Fox continues to navigate legal friction in the sports streaming sector. Per CBS News in August 2024, a federal judge blocked the launch of Venu Sports—a joint venture between Fox, Disney, and Warner Bros. Discovery—granting a preliminary injunction to Fubo on antitrust grounds. While the companies appealed the ruling in early 2025, the delay of Venu likely accelerated Fox's internal prioritization of FOX One as its primary proprietary DTC vehicle. According to The Desk in October 2025, early regional testing of FOX One exceeded internal expectations, with distribution revenue growing 3% partly due to early adopter retention.

Lachlan Murdoch’s contract extension also solidifies his operational control following his reported buyout of siblings' voting shares for $3.3 billion in 2025. This consolidation of power, noted by Barrett Media in June 2026, allows the company to move more decisively on rights renewals and digital infrastructure investments without the looming threat of leadership churn. As of mid-2026, analysts from firms including Barclays and JPMorgan have maintained price targets for Fox in the $67–$75 range, reflecting cautious optimism about the company’s ability to balance legacy cash flows with streaming growth.