Why World Cup hydration breaks have media 'salivating'

The legacy of this summer's World Cup is not likely to be political interference or referee conspiracies that benefit Lionel Messi. It's going to be hydration breaks.

The three-minute breaks midway through each half, which FIFA mandated for every game at this year's World Cup but are not yet ubiquitous throughout soccer, are likely to become a key topic in media rights negotiations going forward, according to interviews with more than a dozen media and soccer executives in the U.S. and overseas. Fox, which is airing the tournament in the U.S. this year, will make at least $250 million on the hydration break ads alone, according to The Hollywood Reporter.