Fox Sports has officially launched its updated score bug and insert graphics system across its NFL coverage, following its initial appearance during the February 2025 Super Bowl LIX broadcast. The revamped look, a product of Drive Studio's design team, initially sparked diverse reactions upon its premiere. However, the typography-focused design, which replaces traditional boxed elements with a more streamlined, gradient-backed aesthetic, has also garnered praise for its innovative approach and refreshing take on creating bolder, attention-grabbing inserts.
It's a common occurrence for viewers to react strongly when a network introduces updated graphics, often requiring them to adapt to the new placement of information. This response can be particularly amplified when the design, like Fox's recent update, ventures beyond conventional norms. However, design inherently involves embracing risks. Similarly, initial concerns about a new score bug often subside as viewers become accustomed to it.
"Our design strips away unnecessary style and format clutter, relying instead on classic, branded typography rooted in the iconic Fox wordmark. The result: a look that puts the game front and center — intentionally timeless, evocative of the clarity and drama of classic NFL broadcasts,” wrote Nick DiNapoli, the co-founder and executive creative director of Drive in a LinkedIn post.
“At (Drive), we pride ourselves on pushing beyond ordinary thinking and stylistic trends. And we’re grateful to our partners at Fox Sports for continually championing innovation — and defining what comes next,” the post concluded.
The complete implementation also means that viewers will now witness how the package integrates with various team names and colors, a crucial element of the design system, much like other sports graphics packages. Teams are generally represented on-screen using two or three-letter abbreviations referencing their hometown, team name, or a combination of both, with the official logo displayed nearby or, in applications intended for larger, more decorative segments of the broadcast, positioned atop the lettering.