Fox Sports 2

Fox Sports 2 (FS2) is an American pay television network owned by Fox Corporation through its Fox Sports Media Group division, operating as a 24-hour multi-sport channel that serves hardcore sports enthusiasts with live events, studio analysis, and original programming.^[1][2] Launched on August 17, 2013, FS2 was established as a companion to the flagship Fox Sports 1 (FS1) to expand the network's capacity for comprehensive sports coverage, replacing the previous Fuel TV channel focused on extreme sports.^[2] The channel is available to subscribers of major cable, satellite, and streaming providers as part of expanded basic packages, with live streams accessible via the FOX Sports app for authenticated users.^[2] FS2's programming emphasizes niche and international sports alongside overflow from FS1, including soccer such as UEFA competitions and FIFA youth tournaments like the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup, horse racing from events such as the Belmont Stakes, cycling competitions, and combat sports.^[3][4] It also airs original content like poker tournaments and women's sports leagues, ensuring round-the-clock engagement for dedicated viewers.^[3] Unlike FS1's focus on major U.S. leagues like the NFL and MLB, FS2 prioritizes depth in lesser-televised events, enhancing Fox Sports' overall portfolio under CEO Eric Shanks, who oversees strategy for multi-platform delivery including broadcast, streaming, and digital rights.^[5][6] Since its inception, FS2 has played a key role in Fox Sports' expansion into global content partnerships, such as rights deals with UEFA and international federations, while adapting to the rise of direct-to-consumer streaming. This positions FS2 as a vital outlet for diverse, high-quality sports media, contributing to Fox Corporation's dominance in U.S. sports broadcasting with an emphasis on innovation and fan accessibility.^[7]

History

Origins as Fuel TV

Fuel TV launched on July 1, 2003, as a 24-hour cable network developed by Fox Sports Net to serve action sports enthusiasts with dedicated programming on extreme disciplines.^[8] The channel emphasized coverage of high-adrenaline activities including skateboarding, snowboarding, motocross, and surfing, featuring original series, event highlights, and athlete profiles to capture the culture and lifestyle surrounding these sports.^[9] Owned by Fox Cable Networks, a division of Fox Sports Media Group, Fuel TV was headquartered at 10201 West Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, facilitating production close to key action sports communities on the West Coast.^[10][8] Early growth was driven by strategic distribution deals, such as adding Comcast as a major carrier, which expanded reach to 24 million U.S. households by fiscal year 2007.^[11] Key partnerships with surf brands and action sports organizations, including serving as the official television media partner for the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour, bolstered content acquisition and audience engagement during this period.^[12] By 2010, programming had evolved to incorporate more lifestyle-oriented shows alongside international extreme sports events, broadening appeal while maintaining its core focus on adrenaline-fueled competitions and athlete stories.^[8] This rebranding to Fox Sports 2 in 2013 marked a shift toward integration with the larger Fox sports portfolio.^[13]

Relaunch as Fox Sports 2

On August 17, 2013, Fuel TV—previously focused on extreme sports programming—was rebranded as Fox Sports 2, coinciding with the launch of Fox Sports 1 and establishing FS2 primarily as an overflow channel to accommodate additional live sports content from the flagship network.^[14] The rebranding shifted the channel's emphasis from niche action sports to broader sports coverage, supporting FS1 during major events such as NCAA basketball tournaments and NASCAR races.^[15] Early post-relaunch programming on FS2 included Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events, which the channel had begun airing in 2012 prior to the rebrand and continued through 2018.^[16] A notable highlight was the early preliminary card for UFC 200 in July 2016, which averaged 582,000 viewers on FS2, marking a viewership peak for non-main card UFC programming on the network.^[16] FS2 expanded its portfolio with key rights acquisitions in the years following the relaunch, including the ARCA Menards Series, which it has broadcast since 2014 as part of a long-standing partnership with Fox Sports that was extended through 2028.^[17] Additional deals encompassed Major League Rugby matches from 2020 to 2024, providing weekly national broadcasts on FS2, and New York Racing Association (NYRA) horse racing coverage from 2019 onward, televising hundreds of hours annually from tracks like Saratoga and Belmont.^[18][19][20] More recent developments reinforced FS2's role in diverse sports coverage, including an extension of Australian Football League (AFL) broadcasts in the United States beyond an initial 2016 agreement, continuing through the 2025 season with select matches airing on FS2.^[21] In January 2025, FS2 entered a multi-year media rights deal with LIV Golf, beginning live coverage of tournament rounds that month and expanding the channel's golf offerings.^[22] The network also served as overflow for the 2025 Major League Baseball (MLB) postseason, supplementing FS1's primary broadcasts of playoff games.^[23] Looking ahead, FS2 contributes to preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup—co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico—by airing qualifying matches and related programming as part of Fox Sports' comprehensive rights package for the tournament.^[24]

Operations

Ownership and management

In 2019, following The Walt Disney Company's acquisition of 21st Century Fox, the sports assets including Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2 were spun off and retained by the newly formed Fox Corporation, separating them from Disney's portfolio.^[25] Currently, Fox Sports 2 operates as part of the Fox Sports Media Group, a division of Fox Corporation, an American multinational mass media company incorporated in Delaware and controlled primarily by the Murdoch family through its Class B voting shares.^[26] The channel falls under the broader Cable Network Programming segment of Fox Corporation, which encompasses its sports media operations. Key management for Fox Sports 2 is integrated into the Fox Sports leadership structure, with oversight from Fox Corporation's executive chairman and CEO, Lachlan K. Murdoch, who directs the company's overall strategy including sports assets.^[26] Day-to-day operations are led by Eric Shanks, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Producer of Fox Sports, who supervises all entities within the division, including Fox Sports 2.^[27] Financially, Fox Sports 2 contributes to Fox Corporation's Cable Network Programming segment, which reported $6.93 billion in revenue for fiscal year 2025, driven by affiliate fees, advertising, and sports sublicensing, while the Television segment, including major sports broadcasts, added $9.33 billion, highlighting the scale of the company's sports media integration.^[26] As a fully owned subsidiary of Fox Corporation, Fox Sports 2 has no independent board of directors and operates under the parent company's governance framework, which includes compliance with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations applicable to pay-TV networks, such as those governing indecency and emergency alert systems.^[26][28]

Headquarters and facilities

Fox Sports 2 operates from its primary headquarters in Los Angeles, California, located within the Fox Sports studios at 10201 West Pico Boulevard in the Century City area of West Los Angeles, a facility that has served as the central hub since the channel's relaunch in 2013.^[29] This location, part of the broader Fox Studio Lot, supports the channel's day-to-day operations and integrates seamlessly with Fox Corporation's shared resources for efficient content management. The production facilities for Fox Sports 2 are shared with Fox Sports 1 at the same Los Angeles site, featuring advanced control rooms designed for handling live overflow feeds, graphics integration, and multi-camera workflows.^[30] These include specialized production control rooms (PCRs) like PCR 502, which facilitate vertical video and live event coverage, as well as access to over 2,000 camera feeds through the facility's video router.^[31] The setup enables real-time graphics insertion and remote collaboration, supporting the channel's diverse sports programming from a centralized technical environment.^[32] Approximately 200 employees are focused on production at these facilities, handling everything from studio shows to event coordination, with additional remote contributions from East Coast hubs for major events such as Major League Baseball broadcasts.^[33] These remote teams, often leveraging partnerships like those with MLB Network in New Jersey, provide on-site support and feed integration to complement the Los Angeles-based operations.^[34] Fox Sports' overall workforce exceeds 3,000, allowing scalable staffing for peak production demands.^[35] Technical upgrades at the headquarters have included the implementation of 4K production capabilities by 2020 for select events, enhancing visual quality for broadcasts like the Super Bowl LIV and World Series.^[36] These advancements are integrated with Fox's global satellite network, utilizing providers like Eutelsat and Skyview Networks for efficient content distribution across international affiliates and domestic platforms.^[37][38] As part of Fox Corporation's 2025 green initiatives, the facilities have adopted energy-efficient broadcasting technologies, including high-efficiency LED lighting on production stages, solar-powered batteries for remote setups, and upgraded HVAC systems to reduce environmental impact.^[39] These measures, aligned with broader sustainability goals, also involve virtualizing servers to minimize energy use and installing electric vehicle chargers at the studio lot, contributing to a 42% waste diversion rate in 2024 operations.^[40]

Availability

Traditional distribution

Fox Sports 2 is distributed through major cable, satellite, and telecommunications providers in the United States, often placed in expanded sports tiers or premium packages to complement flagship sports channels like Fox Sports 1. As of September 2018, the network reached a peak carriage of 57.5 million households, equivalent to 62.3% penetration among households with television service, according to Nielsen estimates.^[41] This broad availability reflected its role as a secondary sports outlet during the early years following its 2013 relaunch.^[26] Carriage has since declined amid cord-cutting trends and shifts in provider lineups, dropping to approximately 52.6 million households by mid-2023, per Nielsen data.^[42] As of late 2025, overall pay TV penetration has fallen below 50%, contributing to further reductions in linear distribution for sports networks like FS2.^[43] Among key providers, Fox Sports 2 is carried on DirecTV (channel 618), Dish Network (channel 149), Comcast Xfinity (varying by region, typically in the 600s), and Cox Communications (often in sports packs around channels 250–300).^[44][45] The network has faced occasional carriage disruptions, including brief blackouts in 2019 with providers such as AT&T's U-verse and DirecTV services prior to full integration post-merger, which were resolved through renewed multi-year agreements ensuring continued access.^[46] Similar issues arose with Dish Network that year, affecting Fox sports channels including FS2 during key events like NFL games, but were settled to restore service.^[47] Internationally, Fox Sports 2's distribution is limited primarily to the United States and select Caribbean markets, such as the Dominican Republic, through Fox Sports International's North feed tailored for Central America and the region. This focused footprint supports targeted sports content delivery without broader global expansion.

Digital and streaming platforms

Fox Sports 2 is accessible through several major live TV streaming services in the United States, including DirecTV Stream, FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV's Blue package, and YouTube TV.^[23] Access to live feeds on these platforms typically requires authentication via a participating TV provider.^[48] The Fox Sports app, launched in 2013 as Fox Sports Go alongside the debut of FS1, serves as the primary digital platform for streaming FS2 content.^[49] It supports live and on-demand viewing in up to 720p resolution across mobile devices and desktops.^[50] Out-of-market viewing on the Fox Sports app is subject to blackout restrictions for local MLB and NHL games, enforced based on the user's geographic location to prioritize regional broadcasts.^[51] Although VPN services can potentially circumvent these blackouts by masking IP addresses, Fox Sports does not endorse or support such methods.^[52] Recent developments include the 2025 launch of FOX One, a direct-to-consumer streaming service that bundles FS2 access with on-demand sports clips from Fox Nation for $19.99 per month.^[53] Additionally, FOX One added live streams of LIV Golf tournaments in 2025, with select events airing on FS2 and available via the app.^[54] The Fox Sports app ensures accessibility through compliance with closed captioning and audio description requirements under federal standards.^[55] It holds an average user rating of 4.2 out of 5 across major app stores as of late 2025.^[55]

Programming

Current offerings

Fox Sports 2 primarily serves as an overflow and complementary channel for Fox Sports' broader portfolio, broadcasting select live sports events and related programming as of November 2025. Its live sports coverage includes overflow telecasts from Major League Baseball's postseason, where the 2025 playoffs across Fox networks averaged 8,088,000 viewers, highlighting FS2's role in extending access to high-profile games. Additionally, FS2 airs NCAA basketball games from the Big East Conference during the regular season and tournament, contributing to Fox Sports' extensive college hoops slate that features marquee matchups on multiple networks.^[56][57][58] The channel holds rights to motorsports events such as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races and practices, with select 2025 events broadcast live or in qualifying sessions, and select races from the ARCA Menards Series air live on Fox Sports networks including FS2 through an extended multi-year agreement. FS2 also provides daily coverage of New York Racing Association (NYRA) thoroughbred racing during active meets, featuring live races and analysis under the "America's Day at the Races" banner, which streams across FS1, FS2, and Fox. Select matches from the Australian Football League (AFL) appear on FS2, particularly when primary channels like FS1 face scheduling conflicts, offering U.S. viewers access to international Australian rules football. Following a multi-year media rights deal announced in January 2025, FS2 contributes to LIV Golf coverage, including portions of tournaments and highlights from the league's 2025 season debut on Fox platforms.^[59][60][61] FS2 also airs matches from soccer leagues like Serie A (including women's competitions), FIFA youth tournaments such as the U-17 World Cup, cycling competitions, combat sports events, poker tournaments, and women's sports leagues including AFL Women's, enhancing its focus on niche and international content.^[3] Studio programming on FS2 is limited, focusing on segments from "Fox Sports Live" for event previews and recaps rather than standalone original shows exclusive to the channel. Horse racing analysis is integrated into NYRA broadcasts, with expert commentary during live events, but no dedicated original studio programs air solely on FS2. This approach keeps FS2 event-driven, avoiding the broader talk-show format seen on FS1.^[62][63] FS2's schedule emphasizes primetime overflow slots, typically from 8-11 p.m. ET, to accommodate extended live sports like MLB or soccer, while weekends feature dedicated blocks for racing and niche events such as AFL matches. In 2025, highlights include overflow coverage of FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers on FS2 alongside FS1 and Fox, ensuring comprehensive access to CONCACAF and international matches. Additionally, former NFL quarterback Drew Brees joined Fox Sports' NFL coverage roster in November 2025 as a game analyst, contributing to select simulcasts that may air on FS2 during high-demand Sundays.^[3][64][65]

Former content

Fox Sports 2 broadcast preliminary bouts for numerous UFC events from 2012 to 2018 as part of the Ultimate Fighting Championship's seven-year exclusive rights agreement with Fox Sports, which concluded on December 31, 2018.^[66] These included undercard fights leading into approximately 12 UFC Fight Nights and pay-per-view main cards annually, often airing live in the evenings before transitioning to Fox Sports 1 or pay-per-view platforms. The UFC's rights subsequently shifted to ESPN under a five-year contract valued at $300 million annually, prompting Fox Sports to relinquish the package amid competitive bidding.^[67] Following the 2013 relaunch of the channel from Fuel TV, Fox Sports 2 retained select extreme sports holdovers, including coverage of Dew Tour events focused on skateboarding, snowboarding, and freestyle skiing competitions. These programs, which emphasized action sports tours and highlights, were gradually phased out by 2015 as the network prioritized broader mainstream sports content over niche extreme events.^[68] This coverage ended with the restructuring, as the remaining Catholic institutions formed the new Big East with primary rights shifting to the newly launched Fox Sports 1 starting in the 2013–14 season.^[69] Fox Sports 2 also carried select motocross series, such as preliminary and qualifying sessions from AMA Supercross and Lucas Oil Pro Motocross events, through 2014 under multi-year agreements with promoters.^[70] These broadcasts concluded that year, aligning with the channel's transition away from motorsports toward team-based overflow programming. The discontinuation of UFC and extreme sports content stemmed from lost rights to higher-bidding competitors like ESPN, alongside a strategic pivot by Fox Sports to utilize FS2 primarily as an overflow feed for major team sports leagues, including soccer and baseball.^[68] This shift freed up scheduling bandwidth, enabling the acquisition of new properties such as Major League Rugby matches starting in 2020.^[18]

Reception

Viewership trends

Fox Sports 2 experienced elevated viewership during the mid-2010s due to UFC prelims on the network, with notable peaks but overall averages remaining in the tens to hundreds of thousands of viewers. Following the shift of major UFC events away from the network after 2018, viewership declined steadily, reaching an average of approximately 20,000 primetime viewers by 2023 amid broader industry challenges. As of November 2025, the network's primetime average was 18,000 viewers, up 80% week-over-week from late October, driven by seasonal sports coverage.^[71][72] Key boosts in 2025 came from MLB postseason programming, where Fox networks including FS2 contributed to an overall average of 8.088 million viewers across the playoffs, marking an 8% year-over-year gain.^[56] FS2 provided overflow support during this period, helping accommodate expanded multi-game slates. Notable spikes included partial spillover from the World Series Game 7, which drew 27.3 million total viewers across Fox platforms.^[73] Several factors influenced these trends, including the ongoing impact of cord-cutting, which has reduced overall cable carriage and linear viewership for niche sports channels like FS2.^[74] Intense competition from ESPN and Fox Sports 1 has also fragmented audiences, though major events provide temporary uplifts. Viewership data is primarily tracked via Nielsen ratings, with FS2 ranking as the 103rd most-watched cable channel in 2025 at a weekly average of 9,000 total viewers.^[71] Looking ahead, analysts project growth for FS2 in 2026, fueled by expanded FIFA World Cup coverage that will feature more matches on Fox platforms, potentially reversing recent declines through heightened global interest.^[24]

Notable milestones

Fox Sports 2 achieved its highest-rated telecast to date with the Enrique Marin vs. Sage Northcutt preliminary fight during UFC 200 on July 9, 2016, drawing 582,000 viewers.^[16] The channel expanded its rugby broadcasting in 2020 by airing Major League Rugby (MLR) matches, including nationally televised games starting with Week 1 on February 7.^[75] In 2023, Fox Sports 2 observed the 20th anniversary of its origins as Fuel TV, which launched on July 1, 2003, as the first U.S. cable network dedicated to action and extreme sports.^[76] The channel expanded its golf portfolio in 2025 through a multi-year media rights agreement between Fox Sports and LIV Golf, providing nearly 210 hours of live coverage across Fox platforms, including select events on FS2 to broaden access to the league's team-based format.^[77] FS2 further integrated into Fox Sports' Super Bowl LIX broadcast ecosystem on February 9, 2025, supporting overflow and supplementary programming amid the network's comprehensive coverage featuring 149 cameras and augmented-reality graphics.^[78] As Fuel TV prior to its 2013 rebranding, the channel played a pivotal role in popularizing extreme sports in the U.S. by offering dedicated programming on skateboarding, snowboarding, motocross, and related lifestyles, reaching over 30 million homes and establishing adrenaline-fueled content as a viable television niche.^[8] In 2025, FS2 provided essential overflow support for the American League Division Series (ALDS), contributing to an average of 3.287 million viewers across Fox, FS1, and FS2 through the first four games—a 11% increase from 2024.^[79] Fox Sports, including contributions from FS2 productions, earned 31 Sports Emmy nominations in 2024 for technical and creative excellence, with shared group recognition in categories like post-produced audio and camera work that underscored the network's production standards.^[80] Following the UFC's departure to ESPN in 2019 after over 120 events on Fox platforms, FS2 pivoted successfully to niche sports such as international soccer, rugby, and emerging leagues, sustaining viewer engagement and relevance through diverse, high-quality coverage.^[81]