Fox Sports Unveils 2017 NRL Line-up With Focus On Female Presenters

Fox Sports unveiled its 2017 NRL plans last night at a gala event at Sydney’s Birchgrove Oval – home of the first ever league game in Australia.
This year’s coverage will include every game of every round, plus every final in September live, ad-break free during play and in HD all on a dedicated 24/7 Rugby League channel, ‘FOX LEAGUE’.
Switching on February 20, channel FOX SPORTS 502 will become FOX LEAGUE with all the shows firing up from February 27 before Round 1 kicks off on March 2. FOX LEAGUE will give fans what they have been asking for – every game, every round live, guided by the best commentary team in the business, on their very own channel that never switches off.
Joining the FOX family in 2017 is the highly sought-after sports presenter, Yvonne Sampson, who will lead a new era for Rugby League coverage alongside one of Australia’s brightest broadcasters, Matty Johns.
Other new faces joining the network, as it gears up for its biggest and best year ever, is recently retired Broncos great, Justin Hodges, former half-back star, Brett Finch and popular sports presenter Hannah Hollis. Fans will see more of Corey Parker and Mick Ennis plus hear from new match-day caller, Brenton Speed.
Sharing play-by-play commentary duties with Speed is Warren Smith and Andrew Voss.
Hodges, Parker and Sampson join Mal Meninga, Kevin Walters, Ben Ikin and Gorden Tallis to lead the Queensland contingent of FOX SPORTS.
In 2017, fans will hear from more of the most respected female sports presenters in the country with Sampson joined by Hollis, Lara Pitt, Megan Barnard, Tara Rushton and Jess Yates to feature prominently across the week’s programming.
The LIVE on-field action starts earlier in the week this season, with the new Thursday night match hosted by Sampson, Johns and a panel of experts weekly from 7.00pm EDT.
Then it’s a Friday double-header, with the new 6pm match only on FOX LEAGUE, before a massive Super Saturday EXCLUSIVE triple-header. FOX LEAGUE will be the only place to watch both Sunday matches LIVE, wrapping up the weekend’s action.
Across the week, six new magazine shows will keep fans entertained, informed and across all Rugby League’s big issues. There will be something for everyone – more fun and more debate, bringing fans even closer to the game they love.
New to the FOX LEAGUE Lab is the Whizz-kid, whose razor sharp brain and home-made algorithms correctly predicted 80 per cent of last season’s results. New additions to FOX SPORTS’ in-broadcast Augmented Reality, will see a new virtual tackle marker, keeping track of the tackle-count as well as showing subscribers exactly where it took place. And shedding new light on what was a recurring point of contention last year, a new virtual 10-metre line will make it clearer for fans to know when refs are getting it right.
FOX SPORTS CEO, Patrick Delany, said: “This is a game changing day for NRL. We’ve listened to fans and responded to their desire to see their game celebrated and enshrined in a place all of its own. That new place is FOX LEAGUE. We are going to make what is already awesome, more awesome!
“We will share our love of the game with fans around the country delivering the best coverage to more fans, in more ways than ever before.
“Your game, your team and now your channel. We will have double, triple, double live coverage from Friday to Sunday, plus the best Thursday night line-up kicking off the round’s action.
“With all the live broadcasts, all the shows – we will do what no one else can. It’s a massive investment for us but we are committed to making our coverage of the game even more awesome for the fans.”
FOX SPORTS head of television, Steve Crawley, said: “FOX LEAGUE will put Rugby League onto the world stage of sports broadcasting. It will be like no other and like nothing Australian sports fans have ever experienced.
“We have an army of producers charging the channel and we have assembled the biggest, and best, line-up of talent possible. This channel has it all and we can’t wait for fans to experience it.”
Latest News

Creating Efficiencies in the Age of Consumer Privacy
In this opinion piece, Jess Miles, Country Manager ANZ of Integral Ad Science, reflects on the questions surrounding consumer data. The ability to collect consumer data online has revolutionised digital advertising by enabling customised targeting strategies and data collection. This reliance on data has been the cornerstone of many audience targeted strategies enabling marketers to […]

Jye Smith Named President Of Vibewire Board
After ten years of board leadership of the young entrepreneurial collective Vibewire, Founder & Co-CEO of Disruptors Co. Gavin Heaton is passing the torch to fellow strategy and creative leader Jye Smith, Founder and Director of branding and design studio DOUBLESTAR CO, who will now take over as Board President.

The Peers Project And Alibaba Group Launch Entrepreneur Podcast Series, ‘The Build Up’
There are now so many podcasts in the world that it would take the average person 98.9 years to find an interesting one.

AnalogFolk Promotes Two Senior Staff
AnalogFolk has promoted two senior staff, but not promoted enough to secure a spot in the downstairs carpark.

“Destroying The World!”: Confusion Reigns As Mr Potato Head Goes Gender Neutral
Mr Potato Head goes gender neutral. Barbie apparently happy she's no longer the most marginalised one in the toy aisle.

New Mercedes G-Class Campaign From Akkurat Studios Makes A “Pointe”
B&T arrived to work this morning in a chauffeured Mercedes-Benz. Well "chauffeur/government bus driver", same thing.

Kia Selects Cartelux To Spearhead Dealer Ad Technology
It's not one but four motoring articles today, dear readers. Call it coincidence as B&T really knows nothing about cars.

‘Woka-Cola’: Trump Supporters Boycott Coca-Cola Over Anti-Racism Seminar
Trump supporters are calling for a Coke ban in the US. However, it remains doubtful if that will grow their teeth back.

Dear God! Triple J Books Return Of OG Wiggles For Like A Version
It's all hot potato and big red cars in the B&T office this morning. Scottish staffer reconsiders visa application.

Thursday TV Wrap: MAFS Hands Nine The Win On A Quiet Night
Last night's TV numbers again appeared to confirm that after 15 years still nobody's watching Bondi Rescue.

Twenty-Seven Year Old Australian Margaret Zhang Appointed Editor Of Vogue China
Who doesn't love to see Aussies doing well on the world stage! Okay, maybe not Schapelle Corby or Mel Gibson.

VOZ Insights: “Television Is Now An Everywhere, Multi-Device Medium”
Only Jesus' second coming and the next Guns N Roses album officially taking longer than the arrival of VOZ.

Australian CDP Lexer Raises $33.5M In Funding
Lexer, the Customer Data Platform for brands and retailers, today announced it has raised AU$33.5 million in Series B funding, bringing its total funding to AU$43 million. The round was led by Blackbird Ventures and King River Capital, with Series A investor January Capital also participating. Blackbird’s Rick Baker will join the Lexer board. The […]

CHE Proximity Unveils Latest Work For eBay
These new eBay ads have an eerie sense of déjà vu. Worse, a not overly funny déjà vu either.

Thrive PR + Communications Makes Multiple Hires Across Sydney & Melbourne
Thrive PR has announced a string of new hires, none of whom chain smokes or swigs from a Stoli bottle.

Peroni’s Zero Alcohol Beer Partners With Aston Martin, Ahead Of Its Formula One Return
Problem with zero alcohol beers is it's all the urine but without the embarrassing one-night stands of full-strength.

Pepsi Brings Messi, Pogba And Sancho To Life In Bubbly New Campaign
B&T's shamelessly namedropping in this headline. Unless you've no idea who they are, then just move to the next article.

Chief Of Cherokee Nation Calls For Jeep To Retire Vehicle Name: “It’s Time”
Do you own a Jeep Cherokee? Well, watch it instantly devalue by a good 10 grand by simply reading this.

Women’s Lifestyle Media Company The Grace Tales Acquired By AllBright
Local women's lifestyle media company receives what all publishers are looking for - a large cheque in an acquisition.

Martech Myths: Why Most Organisations Waste Ninety-Five Per Cent Of Their Software Capabilities
This expert columnist is debunking martech myths. Including the one about Salesforce making you pregnant.

Net Profit Up 60% For Southern Cross Austereo On The Back Of Leaner Operating Model
Southern Cross Austereo's profits up 60%! Which certainly made interviewing Grant Blackley today a lot less awkward.

Cummins&Partners Welcomes PR Agency Romano Beck, Bringing Creative, Media and PR Under One Roof
Cummins&Partners has welcomed Romano Beck, who may sound like a swarthy Italian actor but is actually a PR agency.

CarsGuide Partners With Mitsubishi, Wavemaker To Create Virtual Road Trips
CarsGuide, Mitsubishi and Wavemaker create virtual road trips that includes virtual car sickness.

Petition To Ban Same-Sex Kiss In Cadbury Crème Egg Ad Garners 56,000 Signatures
Cadbury Crème Eggs join Durex condoms & Frankie Goes To Hollywood on list of things Christians find hard to swallow.

Future of TV Advertising Conference: Times Are Tough, But We’re All In This Together
B&T's reporting live from today's Future Of TV event. Not before mistakenly going to the dental hygienist conference.

TV Will Not Only Build Your Brand, It Will Get Your Cash Registers Ringing
There can be no denying TV's power as an advertising medium. Putting aside Holey Moley and Plate Of Origin, that is.

TikTok Continues To Fight COVID Misinformation
Current COVID misinformation includes the vaccine can make you pregnant while developing a Lionel Richie addiction.

Wednesday TV Wrap: 10’s The Cube Debuts To 567,000, Gives MAFS A Little Hickey
B&T's delivering all of last night's TV numbers, dipped in chocolate, rolled in coconut, with a tasty jam-filled centre.

As Bruce Springsteen Is Cleared Of Drunk Driving Charge, Jeep Resumes Use Of Super Bowl Ad
With the Springsteen saga dealt with, Jeep now turns its focus to Michelle Bridges as its next brand ambassador.

WPP AUNZ’s Unveils 32.6% Profit Drop For 2020, Revenues down 14.1%
WPP AUNZ's results out today made for some pretty sobering reading. That's why B&T read them with a couple of daiquiris.