SAN BRUNO, Calif.—YouTube TV subscribers who watch their favorite teams on Fox regional sports networks are going to have to go without for the time being, as the vMVPD service has announced that it will stop offering those channels as of Saturday, Feb. 29.
YouTube TV announced via its Twitter page that it could not come to a carriage agreement with Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns the Fox RSNs, citing the rising cost of sports content and saying that other TV services have also removed the channels from their lineups. Dish customers have been without Fox RSNs since July 2019.
We do not take this decision lightly. This is a reflection of the rising cost of sports content. You may have noticed several other TV services have also decided to remove FOX Regional Sports Networks from their lineups.February 27, 2020
“We offered YouTube TV the best terms under which their competitors carry our Regional Sports Networks,” Sinclair said in a statement. “Unfortunately, they alone decided to drop these channels citing ‘rising costs’ despite our offer to actually lower the fees they pay us.” Sinclair also said it offered a short-term extension during which the two sides could continue negotiating.
YouTube TV’s official response said: “Our goal with YouTube TV is to offer you the content you love, delivered the way you want. Despite our best efforts, we have been unable to reach an agreement with Sinclair, the content provider that offers the Fox Regional Sports Networks and YES Network.”
The dropping of the Fox RSNs comes as NHL, NBA and NCAA Men’s Basketball enter their final stretches of games before their respective postseasons, as well as MLB spring training games being currently underway (MLB opening day is scheduled for March 26).
Awful Announcing reported that on Sinclair’s fourth quarter earnings call on Feb. 26, CEO Chris Ripley mentioned that Sinclair was currently in negotiations with YouTube TV to add the new Marquee Sports Network to its channel lineup.
