Photo Credit: LinkedIn Profile Photo of Matthew Weiss
Foxtel’s top cricket executive has resigned following an investigation into his alleged improper use of social media, as the company prepares for the upcoming cricket season.
Matt Weiss, general manager of Fox Sports’ Fox Cricket division, is leaving after more than a decade with the company, including seven years overseeing its cricket broadcasting. He was reportedly linked to a now-deleted social media account allegedly used to abuse colleagues, rivals, and notable figures in media, sports, and politics.
The allegations were first reported in August, detailing alleged derogatory attacks dating back several years. The X (formerly Twitter) account, operating under the handle @RealRagingBull, was deleted in 2021.
A Foxtel spokesperson confirmed Weiss’ resignation on Monday after the completion of an internal investigation launched at the end of August, though they declined to comment on the investigation’s findings.
Allegedly, the account targeted rival journalists, including those within News Corp such as *The Australian*’s Gideon Haigh. Weiss is also accused of referring to former Fox commentator Simon Hill as an “oxygen thief” after his departure and directing abusive remarks at AFLW players, sports figures, and media personalities. The account allegedly used offensive language, including terms like “toothless ice head,” “spastic,” and “mediawhore.”
Further accusations include asking a woman to start an OnlyFans account and comparing multiple Black women’s appearances to Chewbacca from *Star Wars*, according to a report.
News Corp’s global standards of business conduct prohibit any behavior that may cause or risk causing employees to feel harassed.
Fox Sports’ cricket division was established after Foxtel signed a six-year broadcast rights deal with Cricket Australia in 2018, alongside the Seven Network, moving some international cricket behind a paywall for the first time.
In 2023, Foxtel contributed nearly 30 percent of Cricket Australia’s reported revenue of $422 million, paying approximately $122 million per year. A new seven-year, $1.5 billion contract with Cricket Australia, starting at the end of this year, was signed by Foxtel and Seven. Under the new deal, Foxtel will pay around $150 million annually.
Foxtel broadcasts domestic Test matches, T20s, the Big Bash League, Women’s Big Bash League, and holds exclusive rights to one-day internationals. The 2024-25 summer of cricket will feature the Australian men’s Test team playing India, with the first Test starting next month.
In a separate incident two months ago, footage emerged of Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany performing a Nazi salute in the mid-2010s as a joke. The footage, published by this outlet, showed Delany mocking former Socceroos player Mark Bosnich, who made a similar gesture during an English Premier League match in 1996. Delany later apologized for the gesture.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
