Foxtel’s top cricket executive has resigned from the pay TV broadcaster after an investigation into his alleged improper use of social media as the company gears up for the summer of cricket.
Matt Weiss, Fox Sports’ general manager of Fox Cricket, is leaving the company after more than a decade, including seven years running its cricket broadcasting division, having been linked to a now-deleted social media account used to allegedly abuse colleagues, rivals and prominent media, sports and political figures.
Weiss pictured [centre] alongside prominent cricketing figures, including Australian test captain Pat Cummins [right] and Fox Sports managing director Steve Crawley [second from right].Credit: LinkedIn
The improper use of the account was first reported in August by Crikey, which detailed attacks and abuse dating back several years that were derogatory in nature, according to the reports.
The X (then-Twitter) account was operated under the handle @RealRagingBull, and was deleted in 2021.
A Foxtel spokesperson confirmed Weiss’ resignation on Monday evening following the conclusion of an investigation initiated by the company at the end of August into the alleged improper use of social media.
News Corp’s global standards of business conduct demands employees do not engage in behaviour on or off company property that causes or risks causing any employee to reasonably feel that he or she is being harassed.
It also states that workplaces should be free of harassment and victimisation.
Fox Sport’s cricket division was created after the pay TV broadcaster signed a six-year broadcast rights deal with Cricket Australia in 2018 alongside the Seven Network, taking some domestic international cricket behind a paywall for the first time.
In 2023, Foxtel contributed close to 30 per cent of the $422 million in revenue reported by Cricket Australia. Foxtel pays Cricket Australia approximately $122 million per year.
