Not long after a price hike, YouTube TV has a “gift” for its subscribers—fewer channels. Last March, YouTube TV tweeted it would lose access to Fox regional sports channels due to stalled negotiations with Sinclair Broadcast Group. That didn’t happen, and the two companies renewed contract discussions. But now, YouTube TV says the channels will disappear on October 1.
The news comes again via Tweet, and YouTube TV explains that the latest extensions were only valid through the end of the MLB, NHL, and NBA seasons. Those seasons are over, and with them, so is the extension.
Now that the seasons are over, that extension is expiring. Starting October 1, 2020, FOX RSNs will no longer be available on YouTube TV. Members that are impacted will no longer have access to Library recordings from the FOX RSNs.
— YouTube TV (@YouTubeTV) September 29, 2020
YouTube went on to explain that subscribers that lose access to the channels would also lose access to “Library recordings from the FOX RSNs.”
This was a difficult decision made after months of negotiations. We hope we can bring FOX RSNs back in the future. We thank you for your membership as we work to make YouTube TV the best streaming experience. You will receive an email today if you are impacted by this change.
— YouTube TV (@YouTubeTV) September 29, 2020
YouTube TV does promise to email anyone impacted by the change. As the name implies, Fox Regional Sports varies by region, and what you have access to is determined by where you live. For its part, Sinclair Broadcasting Group hasn’t commented on the subject.
Unfortunately, price wars and channel loss is becoming a regular occurrence with streaming services, even as pricing goes up. When we tried to make a value guide for Streaming TV, we failed. Nearly everything we recommended was invalid within a week.
Source: YouTube TV via Engadget