Game On: Adam Howarth on the Most Exciting Year of Sport Ahead

After nearly three decades at Foxtel Group, Adam Howarth has seen plenty of big sporting moments come and go. As Director of Content Acquisitions and Sports Partnerships, he's never been more excited about what's ahead than he is right now. "I've been with this business for a long time, and I don't remember a 12 month period I am more excited about when it comes to our sport content," Adam says. 

Given his history in a business that's delivered some of Australian television's biggest sporting moments to screens across the country, that's saying something. But when you consider what's on the horizon – from an Ashes series that will renew old rivalries to Formula 1's rising Australian star Oscar Piastri within striking distance of a world title – it's easy to see why this feels like a watershed moment for Australian sport. 

Reading the Play 

The scale of what's coming together feels almost too good to be true. Cricket's summer dominance will seamlessly flow into the winter codes, while international partnerships are delivering exclusive content for Foxtel Group audiences that simply doesn't exist anywhere else. 

“Kayo has supercharged the growth of our business, and we will have never seen a bigger infusion of customers than we will in the next 12 months, with a couple of things playing right into our hands,” shares Adam. 

"Every time England comes to Australia playing the Ashes, it just stops the nation," Adam explains. "And then there's our long-term partner Formula 1 – with Oscar Piastri within reach of winning a world title." 

Of course, it's not just the big-ticket events that make this period so special.  Across the sporting spectrum, exciting developments are unfolding – from Supercars shaking things up with game-changing new initiatives to golf's continued rise on the global stage. 

"The team at Supercars have really revamped their proposition with the different initiatives they're putting into place, and that’s a game changer for the sport," he says.  

"They're bringing in a street race in Perth with the West Australian state government investing heavily, and of course Toyota joining the competition. And they’re stepping up to deliver their sport in 4k exclusively for our customers ... F1 and Supercars are the only ones doing that on the global motorsports stage. WOW - I cannot wait to see the next 12 months of Supercars action." 

The Winning Formula 

What truly sets Foxtel Group apart in Adam's view isn't just individual rights – it's the unprecedented combination of local and international content that creates something genuinely unique. 

"The inclusion of ESPN into our overall proposition is unique to anywhere in the world," Adam states with confidence. "There are no other platforms that have the breadth and depth of sport that we  offer to our subscribers." 

It's a compelling proposition: Fox Sports channels deliver the local codes Australians are passionate about, while ESPN brings the best in U.S. sport like the NFL, NBA, and NHL, alongside the second best basketball league in the world, the NBL. Add the Moto GP, F1, our massive portfolio of golf, the UFC and Sky Racing into the mix, and the result is a sporting ecosystem that Adam believes is unmatched globally. 

"I can't think of another territory anywhere in the world that has the premium top-tier sports that we have, as well as partners like ESPN and others with that breadth of sports." 

Playing the Long Game 

For Adam, the real magic happens when you step back and see how these individual pieces create something bigger than the sum of their parts. Take golf, where Foxtel Group has quietly assembled an incredible  suite of rights. 

"We effectively have every golf property on planet Earth," Adam says. "2025 was the first year we were able to get exclusivity over the Masters, and we've renewed a

bunch of other golf properties which we're extremely excited about." 

But it's the human element that keeps Adam grounded in why this all matters. After 28 years in the business, he still gets genuinely excited about March when the winter codes kick off again – even if his beloved Swans won't be there for the grand final this year. 

"I am, unfortunately, more excited about the start of the season for AFL next year than I am for the last Saturday in September this year because my Swans are not going to be there," he admits with a laugh.

"The start of the season is my favourite time of the year because everyone's off to a clean slate,” he says, “everyone's coming off an equal footing.I am excited to see if there is a big rebound to come next season for the Swans. But the current finals series has already been nuts, and I can’t wait to see who lifts the cup this year". 

More Than Just a Job 

After all these years, Adam still talks about his work like someone who can't quite believe he gets to do this for a living. "Being able to work in media is a privilege. Being able to work in sport is a privilege, but it's the ultimate when you're working both at the same time," he reflects.  

"A lot of us are all just actual sports fans, so to be able to say you get paid to go to work to watch a team or a person in an event that you might be passionate about is pretty cool." 

This genuine passion translates into real understanding of what fans want to see. When Adam talks about the upcoming Ashes series, his eyes light up with the same excitement as any cricket fan counting down to the first ball. 

"What am I most excited about? It'd be the first ball of the Ashes Test," he says. "The patchwork quilt of sports that we have is incredibly exciting, but when you see Gilly and Mark Howard on stage talking about the Ashes… I was excited before I walked into the Upfront. I was foaming at the mouth when I walked out, and I can't wait for the Ashes to see Australia win five-nil." 

The Next Chapter 

After nearly three decades of navigating an industry in constant flux, Adam's learned that the secret isn't avoiding change – it's running towards it. 

"Every time you're confronted with a situation where there's change, there's always going to be a danger of it not working out, but there's only one way to find out, and that's to go head first."

“Embrace it and run towards it,” Adam says. 

For anyone looking to follow Adam's path into sports media, his advice is refreshingly straightforward: outwork everyone else in the room. "There's always going to be people in a room that are smarter than you, more experienced than you. But one thing you can control is you can always be the hardest working person in that room," he says.  

"Whatever task you're given, knock it out of the park." 

With the biggest 12 months of sport in Foxtel Group's history about to unfold, Adam Howarth is exactly where he wants to be – at the centre of it all, helping to deliver moments that will stop the nation and create memories that last a lifetime.  Read more about our unmatched sports offering.