# Fox Sports 1
Fox Sports 1 (FS1) is an American national 24-hour multi-sport cable television network owned by [Fox Corporation](https://www.edgepedia.org/fox-corporation), launched on August 17, 2013 as a rebranding of the motor-sports channel [Speed](https://www.edgepedia.org/speed-tv-network) and positioned as a competitor to ESPN.[1](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/fox-announces-fox-sports-1-network) • [2](https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/news-corp-s-fox-launching-sports-cable-network) The network carries live events including regular season and postseason [Major League Baseball](https://www.edgepedia.org/major-league-baseball) games, NASCAR, college football and college basketball, the FIFA Men's World Cup, Major League Soccer, the UFL, UEFA competitions, Concacaf and CONMEBOL soccer, INDYCAR, and horse racing.[3](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1754301/000162828026062486/fox2026annualreport.htm)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Launch | August 17, 2013, created by rebranding the Speed motor-sports network[1](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/fox-announces-fox-sports-1-network) • [2](https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/news-corp-s-fox-launching-sports-cable-network) |
| Reach at launch | More than 90 million homes, described as the largest sports cable launch in history[4](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2013/03/06/Media/FS1/) |
| Programming volume | Nearly 5,000 hours of live event, news and original programming annually[5](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/fox-sports-1-announces-aug-launch) |
| Rights portfolio | MLB, NASCAR, college football and basketball, FIFA Men's World Cup, MLS, UFL, UEFA, INDYCAR, horse racing[3](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1754301/000162828026062486/fox2026annualreport.htm) |
| Subscribers | 55 million as of June 30, 2026, down from 61 million a year earlier[3](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1754301/000162828026062486/fox2026annualreport.htm) |
| Streaming | Available through the FOX Sports App and the FOX One direct-to-consumer streaming service[6](https://www.foxsports.com/find-fs1-on-your-tv) • [7](https://www.foxcorporation.com/businesses/fox-one/) |
| Sister network | FS2, launched the same day as a rebranding of FUEL TV[8](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/ufc/ufc-kicks-off-fox-sports-1) |
## Launch and early years
Fox announced the network on March 5, 2013, confirming that Speed, its existing motor-sports channel available to more than 80 million subscribers, would be converted into Fox Sports 1.[2](https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/news-corp-s-fox-launching-sports-cable-network) The rebranding strategy gave the new network instant reach: Speed was already in more than 80 percent of the pay-TV market, and Fox said the channel would debut in more than 90 million homes.[2](https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/news-corp-s-fox-launching-sports-cable-network) • [4](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2013/03/06/Media/FS1/) Fox committed to nearly 5,000 hours of live event, news and original programming in the network's first 12 months.[5](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/fox-sports-1-announces-aug-launch)
**Early ratings.** The network's first night of programming averaged 1.78 million viewers for a UFC event, out-rating ESPN on that night.[9](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2014/03/03/Media/Fox-Sports-1/?issueId=XJ2B5J5EIXLMDQVFIX7EZKYRR4) In its inaugural Saturday night prime time slot, FS1 said it averaged 1.7 million viewers, ten times the combined viewership that Speed, Fox Soccer, and FUEL TV had attracted on a similar night one year earlier.[10](https://time.com/archive/7158585/fox-sports-1-debut-six-first-impressions-of-the-new-network/) A 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup race from Martinsville attracted 4,061,000 viewers, the most-watched motorsports event in network history at that time.[11](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/presspass/nascar-sprint-cup-race-from-martinsville-sets-fox-sports-1-audience-mark)
## Competition with ESPN
FS1 was created explicitly to challenge ESPN, the dominant American sports cable network. Fox executives initially set a goal of matching ESPN within three years.[12](https://espnpressroom.com/feature/fox-v-espn-anatomy-moving-target/) By the end of that period, ESPN beat FS1 nearly 5-to-1 on a total-day basis, with Nielsen data showing 811,000 average viewers for ESPN against 176,000 for FS1.[12](https://espnpressroom.com/feature/fox-v-espn-anatomy-moving-target/) FS1 narrowed the gap in daytime hours under executive Jamie Horowitz, cutting ESPN's total-day lead from 8-to-1 to 4-to-1 during 2016, aided by growth in daytime programming and primetime live events.[13](https://www.nexttv.com/news/fs1-opinion-rules-day-409583)
FS1 also pursued ESPN head-to-head with opinion and debate studio shows. Under Horowitz, the network pivoted toward personality-driven debate programming such as "Undisputed" and "Speak for Yourself," and went "all-in on debate in an attempt to rival ESPN."[12](https://espnpressroom.com/feature/fox-v-espn-anatomy-moving-target/) • [14](https://time.com/4853905/meet-the-guys-who-invented-sports-broadcasting-as-you-know-it/) ESPN's own account of the rivalry records that its flagship shows continued to lead head-to-head matchups, including "First Take" topping "Undisputed" 4-to-1 in early 2017.[12](https://espnpressroom.com/feature/fox-v-espn-anatomy-moving-target/)
## Programming and rights
FS1's live event portfolio spans the major American and international sports. The network carries regular season and postseason MLB games, [NASCAR Cup Series](https://www.edgepedia.org/nascar-cup-series) events including the [Daytona 500](https://www.edgepedia.org/daytona-500) qualifying sessions and the All-Star race, college football from the Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and Mountain West, and college basketball including exclusive prime time games and the Big East men's basketball tournament.[6](https://www.foxsports.com/find-fs1-on-your-tv) In soccer, FS1 has carried the [FIFA World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fifa-world-cup) (Men's 2022 and 2026, Women's 2023), CONCACAF competitions, Major League Soccer and select Liga MX games.[6](https://www.foxsports.com/find-fs1-on-your-tv)
**Studio shows.** The network's schedule is built around personality-driven debate and talk programs, including "The Herd with Colin Cowherd," "First Things First," and "[Wake Up Barstool](https://www.edgepedia.org/wake-up-barstool)," the last added through a 2025 partnership with [Barstool Sports](https://www.edgepedia.org/barstool-sports) that also brought founder Dave Portnoy to Fox's "Big Noon Kickoff."[6](https://www.foxsports.com/find-fs1-on-your-tv) • [15](https://apnews.com/article/33a7a09f3cf37ba87f806c9ac21abdb1) • [16](https://www.fox.com/hub/network/NWK-e6a34692d54b546ea45ce26cf68c9a6b/fs1?page=1&size=15)
## Distribution and viewership
FS1 is carried by every major pay TV distributor, and Fox streams the network through the FOX Sports App and the FOX One direct-to-consumer service launched in August 2025.[6](https://www.foxsports.com/find-fs1-on-your-tv) • [7](https://www.foxcorporation.com/businesses/fox-one/) Nielsen estimated FS1's subscriber base at 55 million as of June 30, 2026, down from 61 million a year earlier, reflecting broader cord-cutting across cable networks.[3](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1754301/000162828026062486/fox2026annualreport.htm)
Live sports remain the network's audience engine. During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Fox Corporation won prime-time ratings for both broadcast TV (Fox) and cable TV (FS1) during the weeks of June 15 and June 22, which Sports Business Journal described as a rare win for the company.[17](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/07/13/audience-analysis-espn-morning-shows-keep-wide-gap-vs-fs1-world-cup-helps-fox-corp-to-rare-win/?issueId=ZXQ5EQQ3YBAOFFPG2W4CWWKX2Y) In October 2025, FS1 recorded a 285 percent viewing increase on the strength of [American League Championship Series](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-league-championship-series) coverage, contributing 0.4 points to Fox's gain in Nielsen's Media Distributor Gauge.[18](https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/traditional-tv-players-gained-viewers-in-october-nielsen-gauge) Head-to-head with ESPN in morning studio programming, however, the gap remains wide: in June 2026, ESPN's "Get Up" drew 426,000 viewers against 19,000 for FS1's "Wake Up Barstool."[17](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/07/13/audience-analysis-espn-morning-shows-keep-wide-gap-vs-fs1-world-cup-helps-fox-corp-to-rare-win/?issueId=ZXQ5EQQ3YBAOFFPG2W4CWWKX2Y)
## References
1. [FOX announces FOX Sports 1 network, FOX Sports](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/fox-announces-fox-sports-1-network)
2. [News Corp.'s Fox Launching Sports Cable Network, Fox Business](https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/news-corp-s-fox-launching-sports-cable-network)
3. [Fox Corporation 2026 Annual Report, SEC](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1754301/000162828026062486/fox2026annualreport.htm)
4. [Fox Formally Unveils Long-Awaited FS1, Sports Business Journal](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2013/03/06/Media/FS1/)
5. [FOX Sports 1 announces Aug. launch, FOX Sports](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/fox-sports-1-announces-aug-launch)
6. [Find FS1 on Your TV, FOX Sports](https://www.foxsports.com/find-fs1-on-your-tv)
7. [FOX One, Fox Corporation](https://www.foxcorporation.com/businesses/fox-one/)
8. [UFC kicks off FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/ufc/ufc-kicks-off-fox-sports-1)
9. [Fox Sports execs like trends at FS1, Sports Business Journal](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2014/03/03/Media/Fox-Sports-1/?issueId=XJ2B5J5EIXLMDQVFIX7EZKYRR4)
10. [Fox Sports 1 Debut: Six First Impressions, TIME](https://time.com/archive/7158585/fox-sports-1-debut-six-first-impressions-of-the-new-network/)
11. [NASCAR Sprint Cup Race From Martinsville Sets FOX Sports 1 Audience Mark, FOX Sports](https://www.foxsports.com/stories/presspass/nascar-sprint-cup-race-from-martinsville-sets-fox-sports-1-audience-mark)
12. [Fox v. ESPN: Anatomy of a moving target, ESPN Press Room](https://espnpressroom.com/feature/fox-v-espn-anatomy-moving-target/)
13. [For FS1, Opinion Rules the Day, Next TV](https://www.nexttv.com/news/fs1-opinion-rules-day-409583)
14. [Meet The Guys Who Invented Sports Broadcasting As You Know It, TIME](https://time.com/4853905/meet-the-guys-who-invented-sports-broadcasting-as-you-know-it/)
15. [Fox Sports teams up with Barstool Sports, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/33a7a09f3cf37ba87f806c9ac21abdb1)
16. [FS1 network hub, FOX](https://www.fox.com/hub/network/NWK-e6a34692d54b546ea45ce26cf68c9a6b/fs1?page=1&size=15)
17. [Audience Analysis: ESPN morning shows keep wide gap vs. FS1, Sports Business Journal](https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2026/07/13/audience-analysis-espn-morning-shows-keep-wide-gap-vs-fs1-world-cup-helps-fox-corp-to-rare-win/?issueId=ZXQ5EQQ3YBAOFFPG2W4CWWKX2Y)
18. [Traditional TV Players Gained Viewers in October: Nielsen Gauge, TV Technology](https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/traditional-tv-players-gained-viewers-in-october-nielsen-gauge)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen production organizations › Television networks › Genre and audience networks › Sports networks › United States sports networks*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license