Youtube TV logo with several coins falling around. Lucas Gouveia / How-To Geek
Due to ongoing negotiations, YouTube TV is about to lose access to several Fox channels, including Fox Sports. This couldn't come at a worse time, as the NFL and college football seasons are about to start. If a deal can't be met, you may lose access to the channels as soon as tomorrow, August 27th.
If you've been a longtime YouTube TV subscriber or used Dish TV in the past, you're probably familiar with carriage disputes. We saw a similar situation play out earlier this year with YouTube and Paramount, which included CBS Sports, but the two eventually came to an agreement. And we saw Dish TV lose nine channels last summer.
YouTube TV's license to distribute Fox-owned content is up for renewal, and YouTube TV claims the pricing isn't fair, resulting in the two companies being unable to agree on terms for a new deal. As a result, YouTube has started sending emails warning customers, and while they're hopeful for a resolution, the company may be forced to remove all Fox channels. If so, YouTube TV confirmed it'll issue a $10 credit to your account to compensate for the interruption.
The channels that YouTube TV subscribers are at risk of losing include Fox News, Fox Business, Fox Sports, and the Big Ten Network. Additionally, any recorded content from these channels saved in your library would also become unavailable.
According to YouTube TV, "Fox is asking for payments that are far higher than what partners with comparable content offerings receive. Our priority is to reach a deal that reflects the value of their content and is fair for both sides without passing on additional costs to our subscribers."
This comes hot on the heels of the new Fox One streaming service that just launched, and can even be bundled with ESPN's new service at a discount price. Basically, the sports streaming landscape is rapidly evolving, which makes agreeing to new terms more difficult than ever. To make matters worse, this is a terrible time to lose Fox Sports, as fans are getting ready for NCAA football and the NFL season in a few weeks.
For what it's worth, Fox channels are readily available on affordable streaming services like Fubu, Sling TV, and even Sling's all-new $20 package, making you wonder how much Sling is paying for access. For comparison, YouTube TV now costs upwards of $84 per month, much more than just a few years ago.
It's also worth mentioning that the new Fox One streaming service is accessible to all pay TV subscribers at no additional charge, and users can log in using their current service. That could be part of the price difference, as you can access the service through YouTube TV. Overall, many different factors are at play in the disagreements, but YouTube TV and Fox are working towards a new deal.
We'll find out more soon enough, or you'll temporarily lose access to those channels starting tomorrow.
Source: YouTube Blog