Murdochs Defend $3 Billion ‘Thursday Night Football’ Price Tag
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The Fox network will get unparalleled promotional power by airing NFL games two days a week, Rupert Murdoch’s sons said Thursday, providing a rationale for a deal that’s been panned by investors.
Analysts pressed James and Lachlan Murdoch on 21st Century Fox Inc.’s quarterly conference call Thursday about their company’s decision to pay more than $3 billion for five years of “Thursday Night Football.” The network, where profit dropped 85 percent last quarter amid a ratings slump, already airs National Football League games on Sundays.