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Fox Creative overhauls on-air graphics package for Fox Sports

Fox Sports has completed a comprehensive refresh of its on-air graphics package for all major sporting codes in conjunction with in-house creative agency, Fox Creative.

Starting with the landmark Ashes coverage this past summer, Fox Sports has reinvigorated its broadcast graphics package to ensure a consistent and premium on-air design presence across all sporting codes including NRL, AFL and one of the fastest growing sports, netball.

Fox Creative have implemented the design shift across thousands of assets built into live graphics systems, forming an essential component of Fox Sports live match coverage, replay analysis graphics, promos and sponsorship integrations, all in 4K Ultra HD.

The new design includes opening title animations, engaging, branded colour and movement wrapped around an average of 1000+ hours of live sport production every month. In addition, there are approximately 1,000 individual graphic layouts that are programmed to source the most up-to-date data from our Fox Sports Lab, or controlled by live operators to bring viewers closer to the game than ever before.

Foxtel Group creative director, Guy Sawrey-Cookson, said: “Working hand in glove with our world class production team, we came at this with a customer first approach. From the fans in the pub to the kids streaming on a long road trip, our aim was to bring them closer to the games they love.

“This clean, crisp and contemporary package delivers an enhanced on-screen experience with impressive visuals fuelled by incredible technology and innovation”.

Last October, it was announced the NRL Telstra Premiership will expand to 17 teams from the 2023 season after the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) approved the grant of a new licence.

The commission approved both the expansion of the competition and Gold Coast-based The Dolphins as the successful bid for the additional licence.

The expanded 17-team competition will see the NRL Telstra Premiership become a 26-round competition with every team continuing to play 24 games, with the total number of regular season games increasing from 192 to 204.

As part of the announcement, broadcast partner Fox Sports, owned by Foxtel (which is jointly owned by News Corp Australia and Telstra), has agreed to an enhanced broadcast agreement from 2023 to 2027. Nine Entertainment Co’s broadcast rights for the competition expire before the beginning of the new expanded competition at the end of 2022. No details of which network will take on the rights after that have been confirmed.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said the expanded competition would create more opportunities for the rugby league ecosystem.

“This is an exciting day for our game. There will be more opportunities for our players in 2023, more games of rugby league to watch for our fans and more investment in pathways for our grassroots participants,’’ he said.

“It’s also an excellent outcome for our partners and sponsors who have additional exposure from 2023.”

To encourage growth in participation and pathways across southeast Queensland, The Dolphins have agreed to invest $1 million per annum on grassroots rugby league and pathways as well as an additional $1 million per annum on women’s rugby league pathways and development. The club will be required to submit an annual budget for Commission approval which sets out how the $2 million in funding will be spent each year.

Telstra and the NRL celebrated 20 years of partnership in 2021. The telco and the competition signed a five year naming and mobile digital rights agreement in 2017. This will extend its NRL sponsorship and digital rights to 2022.

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