Roku says its distribution deal with Fox is to expire on January 31. Fx can still be accessed via Roku on pay-TV apps, but deal lapse puts Roku's access to Fox Sports's free 4K stream of the game in jeopardy.

Jeff Baumgartner, Senior Editor

January 30, 2020

3 Min Read
Roku Pulling Fox Apps Ahead of Super Bowl LIV

Just when you thought disputes between pay-TV operators and broadcasters were a problem, the streaming world just said, "Hold my beer."

Roku announced Thursday it would drop all Fox apps, including Fox Sports, on its platform on January 31. Roku's decision puts its delivery of the free Fox Sports Super Bowl LIV stream in jeopardy. The nationally broadcast game, between the Kansas City Chief and San Francisco 49ers, includes a first ever 4K stream of the NFL's championship event.

Figure 1: No moss gathers on Fox's web team, which quickly expunged the Roku logo from the broadcaster's Super Bowl LIV streaming graphic on Thursday night. No moss gathers on Fox's web team, which quickly expunged the Roku logo from the broadcaster's Super Bowl LIV streaming graphic on Thursday night.

The good news is that Roku users can still access Fox channels through various apps from pay-TV operators, including OTT-delivered ones from the likes of Sling TV and YouTube TV that carry local Fox feeds.

Roku chalked up the app removal to a lapsing distribution deal with Fox, but said it hoped to get a new agreement done soon.

"Roku's distribution agreement with FOX Corp is set to expire on Jan. 31," Roku said in an emailed statement. "We offered FOX an extension so that Roku can continue to bring a large and valuable audience to FOX. If an agreement is not reached, we will be forced to remove FOX channels from the Roku platform.

"Meanwhile, customers can view FOX programming, including the big game in many other ways on the Roku platform including through Fubo, Sling TV, Hulu Live, YouTube TV, and other ways. Many offer free trials for new customers. Our discussions with Fox continue and we hope that Fox will work to reach an agreement soon."

Fox's individual apps, including Fox Sports and Fox Now, are still supported on several other TV-connected streaming platforms, including Apple TV boxes, Xbox One consoles, Android TV devices, Samsung smart TVs and Amazon Fire TV. Amazon's devices, by the way, are billed by Fox as the "preferred 4K streaming experience" for Super Bowl LIV.

The expiration of the Roku-Fox deal coincidentally is coming to an end just before a tent-pole sporting event. Still, the impasse is being closely watched by the industry as a new type of dispute that might crop up more often as streaming becomes an increasingly popular way for consumers to access both live TV and on-demand fare.

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— Jeff Baumgartner, Senior Editor, Light Reading

About the Author(s)

Jeff Baumgartner

Senior Editor, Light Reading

Jeff Baumgartner is a Senior Editor for Light Reading and is responsible for the day-to-day news coverage and analysis of the cable and video sectors. Follow him on X and LinkedIn.

Baumgartner also served as Site Editor for Light Reading Cable from 2007-2013. In between his two stints at Light Reading, he led tech coverage for Multichannel News and was a regular contributor to Broadcasting + Cable. Baumgartner was named to the 2018 class of the Cable TV Pioneers.

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