Ford Again Sponsors ‘The X-Files’ on Fox

Ford will be a key sponsor of The X-Files when it returns to Fox for six new episodes.

When the series originally ran, Ford vehicles were featured in the show.

“We’re thrilled to have Ford back as a partner in X-Files,” said Toby Byrne, president of ad sales at the Fox Networks Group.

A Ford Explorer will be integrated into the story in the second part of the show's two-episode premiere. Ford vehicles will also appear in subsequent episodes. Ford is the official automotive sponsor of TheX-Files and is the sponsor of the show’s premiere in Los Angeles.

Fox Mulder, the conspiracy minded FBI agent played by David Duchovny drove a Ford truck during the series’ run from 1993 to 2002.

The first of the new episodes will air following the NFL’s NFC Championship Game on Fox, ensuring a huge lead-in audience.

Media buyers say Fox is getting about $600,000 for spots in that first episode and about $250,000 for spots in the subsequent episodes

Terms of Ford’s deal with Fox were not disclosed.

“We were very excited that they were so excited it was coming back," said Byrne. "As part of our overall partnership with Ford, we were able to work out a sponsorship in X-Files as well."

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.