Fox Sports has announced a new partnership with Australia’s leading provider of surf cams, Coastalwatch, which will deliver users free access to their Surf Check app for the first time with over 100 live streams from Australia’s most popular surfing spots.
The landmark deal, which gives Fox Sports and MCN exclusive commercial rights to the app through advertising and sponsorship space, is set to solidify the network’s already strong relationship with surfing.
Under the relaunched app, which is now available on both iOS and android smartphones, Foxtel will be able to market directly to a large body of prospective subscribers, with the popular surfing app having amassed over 500,000 downloads since its creation.
Fox Sports’ head of digital Brad Schultz said: “Surfing has always been a part of Fox Sports’ DNA and we’re delighted to partner with Australia’s most popular surfing platform.
“Coastalwatch already has over 3.6 million unique visitors logging in every year, and Fox Sports will now provide access to more surfers, with the app now free to download.
“Surfing and sport go hand-in-hand in Australian culture. The focus of this partnership is to grow the sport, and to explore ways to tap into Coastalwatch’s engaged audience to grow Foxtel.”
Both partners will market the newly launched app through their owned and syndicated properties to help grow surfing in Australia.
Coastalwatch will continue to operate the app, with Fox Sports providing user experience and product support. Fox Sports will also look to supplement the existing news section within the app, with additional content produced by Fox Sports News.
The new app will compliment Fox Sports’ suite of single sport apps including Fox League and Fox Footy.
Fox Sports has enjoyed a long partnership with surfing, having been the first broadcaster in the world to show a World Surf League Championship Tour event live from start-to-finish.
Fox Sports continues to deliver every World Surf League event on both the men’s and women’s Championship Tours, along with the Big Wave World Tour events and the groundbreaking new wave pool events.
Fox Sports also partners with Surfing Australia to support its world-first club-based national competition, The Australian Boardriders Battle, the grassroots Surf Groms program, and its quest to bring home gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics.