Saturday, June 6, 2026

UFL Year 2 Plan Includes Friday Night Football, Sustaining Fox Experiment

 Between ESPN and Fox networks, the retooled spring football league will have nearly three-quarters of its games shown on broadcast television this season.

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

“Friday Night Lights” isn’t just for Texas high school football, or even some college football, as the United Football League is the latest in the sport to jump on the bandwagon. 

The spring football league released its 2025 schedule, and, as expected since the end of last season, the slate is led in part by the establishment of a dedicated Friday primetime slot on Fox throughout the 10-week regular season. The new Fox UFL Friday is aimed at giving the league a heightened focus, but it also helps the network as it begins IndyCar Series race coverage this year. 

The network’s strategy for the UFL is not unlike what it started in 2024 for college football, drawing solid early results

More broadly, Fox and ESPN will again share UFL coverage across their various platforms including linear and cable networks, streaming, and Spanish-language networks—combining to air all 43 of the league’s games. Between the two, 74% of those UFL games will be on broadcast TV, up slightly from a year ago. The season begins March 28 and will conclude June 14 with the championship game, airing on ABC—also in prime time. 

The eight-team UFL is also looking at expansion, though without a defined timetable or a set number of expected new teams.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Bears Taking New $5B Stadium Plans Across State Line to Indiana

The decision arrived just four days after political inaction by Illinois leaders.
Dec 20, 2025; Oxford, MS, USA; Eli Manning former Mississippi Rebels quarterback and NFL star visits the field prior to a game against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Not ‘About Raising Prices’: Eli Manning Invests in Youth Sports

Manning discussed the Knicks’ playoff run and the Giants’ new coach.

Duke-Michigan Hoops Moving to MLB Ballpark to Skirt Rights Issue

The crux of the move is due to media-rights complications.
Mar 30, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell arrives during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore.

NFL Defends TV Deals As Goodell Declines to Testify Before Congress

The league continues to tout its commitment to broadcast television.

Featured Today

Ai sports slop

How Sports Became Ground Zero for AI Slop

The category is the perfect breeding ground for AI content churn.
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group A - Germany v Luxembourg - Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim, Germany - October 10, 2025 Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann
June 4, 2026

‘Weird Corners of the World’: How to Find a World Cup Coach

National associations look for a winning record—and also hope for serendipity.
June 3, 2026

The Elite High Schools Hosting World Cup Teams

Spain, Morocco, Croatia, and Switzerland chose schools as their tournament base camps.
Frances Cabral-Delaney
May 29, 2026

How Arsenal Fandom Went ‘Manic’

“People do not become Arsenal fans because it’s easy,” says Zohran Mamdani.

Does Market Size Still Matter in the NBA?

This year’s Finals pits the biggest market against one of the smallest.
June 4, 2026

Knicks Get-In Prices for Game 3 at MSG Hit $8,000—and Climbing

Knicks Finals tickets now outprice both the Super Bowl and World Cup.
June 5, 2026

Aaron Judge Injury Deals Major Blow to Yankees—and MLB

The Yankees megastar will miss the heart of the season.
Sponsored

Landon Donovan: What Soccer in America Still Needs

Landon Donovan discusses the evolution of soccer in America and investing in the NWSL.
June 4, 2026

Chwalińska Makes French Open Final, Nearly Triples Career Earnings

Chwalińska was ranked No. 114 before the French Open began.
June 4, 2026

MLB’s Long-Stalled Stadium Plans—Rays and A’s—Show Progress

The A’s and Rays both are drawing closer to getting new ballparks.
SEA at VAN - Nov. 21, 20251
June 4, 2026

Will the PWHL’s Aggressive Expansion Succeed?

The league added four teams ahead of the 2026–27 season.
June 3, 2026

Adam Silver: NBA Europe ‘On Track’ to Launch Next Year

The commissioner also commented on the Aspiration investigation.